Two men have died after drowning in a septic tank at EPZ, Kapiti area in Kitengela, Kajiado County. The two were reportedly doing some repair work at an apartment before they drowned in the septic tank with sewer water.
According to the apartment management, a plumber had been contracted on Wednesday October 6,2021 to do some routine repair work on the leaking septic tank before the sudden tragedy occurred at around 4:00 pm.
Eyewitnesses stated that the 3 men inspected the drainage system of the apartment before opening the three septic tanks within the compound with intentions of conducting some repair.
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It is while they were on their routine repairs that one of the men who was inside the septic tank was heard screaming prompting one of his counterparts, who also drowned, to rush and save him.
Police officers and county government officials had a rough time containing members of the public who milled around the septic tank to have a glimpse of what was happening.
Those who turned up following the screams narrated the incident saying they could not help rescue the two plumbers owing to the depth of the septic tanks that require skills to access.
Residents now want landlords to ensure safety of septic tanks by ensuring they engage qualified personnel to handle repair works to avert similar deaths.
"It is very sad that lives have been lost while people were striving to eke a living and better they lives. As Kitengela residents, we would wish that landlords prioritize the safety of those who manage and repair the drainage system of their apartments. There is a lot of ignorance by landlords who barely care who they hire to do septic tanks repairs. We also condemn casual labourers who focus on eking a living at the expense of their safety. It calls for all parties to be responsible and consider safety as key,’’ one of the residents said.
It took the Kajiado emergency department and Kenya Red Cross officers more than an hour to retrieve the bodies.
While confirming the incident, Isinya sub-county police commander Charles Chepkonga urged landlords to be cautious while handling sewerage systems to avert such deaths.
The bodies of the two have since been moved to Kitengela sub-county hospital mortuary for identification and postmortem.
