Two people were reported to have lost consciousness while working at a 70-metre well that they were trying to deepen in Nandi.
The duo Isaac Ruto (29) and Dan Juma (28) both from Samoei Village in Chemomi location in Nandi Hills, Nandi county had been contracted by one of the villagers to deepen his well.
Reports indicate that they had worked for two weeks and were in process of finalising it when they were attacked by ants who had made their home inside the well.
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"They were in the process of deepening the well as they were targeting 85 metres but in the process, they bumped into ants that had made their habitat there. They decided to pour petrol inside the well to keep the insects away. However, the following day one of them got into the well, lost oxygen due to the effects of petrol leading to suffocation," Geoffrey Mangira one of the residents said.
After realizing his friend was no longer responding, Juma screamed for help and a section of residents came. After a small conversation, Juma decided to go inside the well to rescue his co-worker but he also lost oxygen leading to his unconsciousness.
"It has been a drama-like incident and we almost lost two lives but we called for help from police officers and another rescuing team from Nandi," Mangira added.
The locals resorted to informing one of the victim's father who arrived from Tinderet to rescue his son who was staring at death.
"The father arrived sooner and got inside the well using a rope. He tied his son on the back, picking the other on his shoulders while himself also being pulled out by other strong men outside the well. They were all successfully rescued, " one of the witnesses noted.
After their rescue, the two were picked up by Nand Hills county hospital health officers using their ambulance which was on standby for medical care.
"The two men were rushed to the hospital and we thank God they are in stable conditions as they have been managed," Geoffrey noted.
