Kirinyaga: The residents of Kirinyaga County have been urged to exercise caution when purchasing cooking gas, especially during the festive season, to avoid fire accidents caused by substandard products. The warning comes amidst a rise in kitchen fire incidents attributed to the use of inferior quality gas.

According to Kenya News Agency, Kirinyaga County’s Head of the Fire Brigade, Shunjaa John Kiama, emphasized the importance of buying gas from legitimate merchants. He pointed out that about 80% of recent fire accidents in the county originated in kitchens due to the use of substandard gases. “My call to Kenyans is to be careful during fire outbreaks in their houses by calling fire experts to prevent more damage and save lives and property,” Kiama said.

Kiama criticized illegal gas dealers for endangering the public, warning that the law would take its course if they failed to comply with fire department and energy regulation standards. He urged residents to avoid cheap gas burners and cylinders without clear trademarks from reputable companies.

In an incident highlighting these dangers, tenant Wambui Nyaga from Karia, Kirinyaga central constituency, recounted a fire caused by a gas cylinder leak in her kitchen. She had recently purchased the cylinder, which had a minor leak. The following morning, while preparing breakfast, the leaking gas led to an explosion, resulting in significant damage to her kitchen.

Jane Njeri, the owner of the house rented by Nyaga, described the efforts to extinguish the fire. Despite attempts using sand and water, they were unable to control the blaze and had to call the Kerugoya firefighter brigade, which responded promptly and extinguished the fire.

Njeri appealed to the government to monitor gas stations in villages to ensure they sell standard-quality gas. “We have seen people being burned to death by gas cylinder explosions. The responsible bodies need to do their job and scrutinize those behind this business,” she urged.

The incident and Kiama’s warning highlight the need for heightened vigilance and stricter regulation of gas products to prevent such dangerous incidents in the future.