A tragic incident in Port Reitz, Mombasa County, has claimed the life of a 27-year-old man and left two others hospitalised after they reportedly suffered oxygen shortage while handling petroleum products.
The victims were rushed to hospital at around 1:50 a.m. on Thursday by a Good Samaritan using a tuk-tuk. Upon arrival, police found one man unresponsive, another semi-conscious, and the third conscious. The unresponsive man, identified as Wycliffe Kitungu Peter, was pronounced dead at the hospital. The two survivors are currently receiving treatment and oxygen support.
Preliminary investigations suggest the men were exposed to low oxygen levels while working at an undisclosed petroleum yard in Port Reitz. Authorities are probing the exact circumstances and safety conditions under which the men were operating.
Wycliffe’s body was taken to Coast General Hospital mortuary pending a post-mortem examination.
Related Incident: Gold Miner Dies in Shaft Collapse in Siaya
Separately, a 36-year-old gold miner, David Juma Onyango, died following a mine shaft collapse at West Migwena, Bondo Subcounty, Siaya County. The accident occurred around 9 p.m. on Wednesday during mining activities involving 22 casual miners.
Rescue efforts by fellow miners recovered Onyango’s body, which showed a visible back injury. Two other miners sustained minor injuries but left before documentation. The remaining miners escaped unharmed.
Police and the Directorate of Criminal Investigations are investigating the collapse. The incident underscores ongoing safety challenges faced by artisanal miners, with calls for enhanced protective measures at mining sites.
