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Factory blast kills 9 people in Nairobi
A faulty electrical circuit triggered an explosion at a chemical factory in Kenya's capital, killing at least nine people.
A faulty electrical circuit triggered an explosion at a chemical factory in Kenya's capital, killing at least nine people early on Saturday, police officials said.
At least two people were seriously injured.
The death toll could rise because officers have not been able to account for all of the 36 people who were in the building when the explosion occurred, said the Nairobi Deputy Provincial Police Officer Francis Munyambu.
Most of the victims died because factory owners locked them inside the building after the explosion, claiming that they wanted to prevent people from rushing in and stealing valuables, said Mutinda Nzuki, who was waiting outside to be hired as a casual laborer when the incident occurred.
The allegation was backed by others on the site, who said they fled the building minutes before the business' owners locked the door.
Two of the factory's three owners were killed in the fire. Police were questioning the surviving businessman, who could not be immediately reached for comment.
