A wedding in Kiambu County turned tragic when five women and a child died after a concrete slab on a septic tank collapsed.
The six were dancing ahead of a friend’s wedding at the bride’s home in Kihunguro, Ruiru.
“Eleven people have been rescued and taken to hospital,” county police boss Perminus Kioi said.
The dead and those admitted to hospital had gone to pick the bride from her parents’ home, as is tradition.
Mr Kioi said survivors were taken to Plains View, Ruiru Level Four, Kenyatta University Teaching Research and Referral and other hospitals.
“The people who had come to pick up the bride started dancing and singing on top of the tank, which unfortunately collapsed under their weight,” Mr Kioi told journalists at the scene of the tragedy.
“Of the 17 people, we lost six while the others were rushed to various hospitals in the sub-county.”
The well after its covering caved in on Saturday, August 19. Six people drowned including a child and five women.
Photo credit: Pool
The police boss said investigations into the cause of the deadly incident have already been launched.
He added that anyone found to have contributed to the incident through shoddy construction or otherwise would face the full force of the law.
Rescuers and witnesses said two people died on the spot while the others died while being taken to hospital or were declared dead on arrival.
Firefighters from Kiambu arrived at the scene minutes after the tragedy and rescued some of the people trapped in the septic tank.
The covered-up water well at a residential block in Kihunguro area in Ruiru where six people died after the covering of the well caved in as they were standing on it on Saturday, August 19, morning.
Photo credit: Francis Nderitu | Nation Media Group
Mr Simon Njoroge, one of the rescuers, said the deep tank was deep was almost full of water, making their work difficult.
“We were outside the bride’s house when people began screaming. The rescue was painful and extremely difficult. The tank is small and deep,” Mr Njoroge said.
Despite the tragedy, Mr Charles Mworia and Ms Susan Wanjira went ahead with their wedding at Wonders Touch Ministries International Church.
Ms Millicent Mumbi, a local, said from her hospital bed that she was lucky to survive.
“I was part of the group that was celebrating. I heard the first scream and because I was on the edge of the slab, I jumped away,” Ms Mumbi said.
