Four employees of a Thika leather factory died after falling into an effluent pit, while two others were rushed to a Nairobi hospital in critical condition.
The four workers at Leather Industries of Kenya Ltd were unclogging the pit on Thursday when they fell. Reports said they were suffocated by the toxic gas emitted by the waste.
Three fell into the pit while the fourth, a security guard, died as he tried to rescue them.
A worker who sought anonymity said the deceased were overcome by the gas. “The chemical to preserve hides and the one to unclog the pit are dangerous. This might be the reason for the deaths,” he said.
Only overalls, gumboots
The worker said his colleagues did not wear protective gear, saying they only wore overalls and gumboots. “They didn’t have protective masks, we suspect they fell unconscious after inhaling gas,” he said.
The bodies were retrieved by workers. They were pronounced dead on arrival at Mt Sinai Hospital and Thika Muslim Health Centre. Two survivors were transferred to a Nairobi hospital, a Mt Sinai nurse said. The bodies were taken to General Kago Funeral Home.
Thika West deputy county commissioner Tom Anjere said authorities will investigate the circumstances leading to thedeaths.
The management declined comment. Journalists said they were threatened.
The workers, who were later told to go home, said other accidents involving toxic gas have gone unreported to authorities.
They declined to be named for fear of reprisal. Tanning leather is a notoriously toxic process.
