A wedding ceremony turned tragic at Fort Jesus village in Ruiru, Kiambu County after a group that had gone to pick up the bride drowned in an underground water tank as they celebrated on Saturday, August 19.
At least 17 people were dancing and celebrating the bride’s victory when the slab covering the tank caved in leaving six of them dead.
Among those who drowned in the 11 am incident were five women and a child.
According to Kiambu County Police Commander Perminus Kioi, survivors of the incident were rushed to various hospitals in Ruiru among them Plains View, Ruiru Level Four and Kenyatta University Teaching Research and Referral Hospitals.
The police boss noted that the concrete slab caved in under the weight of the group causing the victims to fall into the water tank.
“It happened that the people who had come to pick the bride started celebrating on top of the underground tank which unfortunately collapsed due to their weight. Out of the seventeen, we have suddenly lost six while the others were taken to various hospitals within Ruiru Sub-County,” Kioi stated.
Kioi revealed that investigations have commenced to ascertain how the incident happened and assured that anyone found to have caused the incident either by poor construction works or otherwise will face prosecution.
The incident that closely paralyzed the wedding ceremony sent an alarm as those who witnessed rushed to save them.
According to the rescuers, two people died on the spot while the other people were rescued and taken to hospital, where they were, unfortunately, pronounced dead.
A team of fire brigade officers from Kiambu rushed to rescue the group that had been trapped in the underground water tank.
Simon Njoroge, who had travelled from Mataara village in Gatundu North to aid in the process of picking the bride, regretted that the incident inflicted fear leaving them with numerous questions.
“We were waiting for the women who customarily celebrate the victory of the bride to finish their affair only to hear screams and later got to know that those accompanying us had drowned. We are saddened but the wedding must happen,” said Njoroge.
Despite the tragedy, the wedding ceremony between Charles Mworia and Susan Wanjira continued at Wonders Touch Ministries International church and later a reception happened at Ruiru Boys High School grounds.
