Explosion: Kenya Power rules out electrical fault

Explosion: Kenya Power rules out electrical fault Written By:Margaret Kalekye/release,    Posted: Mon, May 28, 2012

KPLC said protective devices would switch off power network to prevent a fault in a premise Kenya Power has denied claims by Police Commissioner Matthew Iteere that the explosion that hit Assanands house along Moi Avenue was caused by an electrical fault. The company said in statement the affected building has no ground mounted transformer inside it or outside that would explode. A rapid response technical team found all the electrical connections to the building including the cutouts (fuses) on the Kenya Power side that would otherwise blow in the event of a short circuit inside the building intact. Kenya Power Communications Manager Migwi Theuri said no protective devises operated on the network that supplies the general area. "Protective devices would switch off power network to prevent a fault in a premise, such as the affected building from coming back into the rest of the network. It is therefore not possible that the explosion was caused by an electricity fault' he said. Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH) confirmed receiving 27 casualties. Deputy Prime Minister Musalia Mudavadi who visited the victims in hospital said only five were critical adding that majority were treated and discharged. Iteere had also denied reports that majority of the blast victims had shrapnel injuries saying they might have been inflicted by broken glasses. The powerful explosion tore the building roof and shattered windows across the street. Iteere "We have been to scene of the incident and at this time we can be able to say that it was not a grenade or bomb blast. Form the preliminary investigations we do think it was electrical fault," he said upon arriving at the scene.