Second body retrieved from Kisumu fuel siphoning tunnel

Kisumu,

Thursday, September 7, 2023

KNA by Chris Mahandara

A second body has been retrieved from a tunnel used to siphon fuel from the main Kenya Pipeline Corporation (KPC) line in Kisumu.

Police officers in collaboration with the KPC emergency team removed the body of a middle-aged man from the tunnel which was linked to an underground tank where the siphoned fuel was being stored.

This brings to two the number of bodies retrieved from the tunnel after police officers busted the fuel siphoning racket on Monday evening.

Kisumu County Police Commander (CPC) Alphonce Kimanthi said the body has been moved to Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral Hospital mortuary awaiting postmortem.

The bodies, he added were yet to be identified adding that police were carrying out investigations.

Rackecteers had constructed a tunnel which was connected to the KPC Nakuru-Kisumu line to a house under construction in Maua area, Lolwe Estate.

A leakage that spilled into a nearby stream was traced to the building.

It is not clear how the two died and how long the bodies have been in the tunnel.

KPC engineers who have been at the scene since Tuesday have managed to seal the illegal connection.

The fuel in the underground tank has also been evacuated.

Courtesy; KNA