Even as Kenya is reeling from the continuing tragedy of the Nakumatt Downtown store fire, another tragedy has befallen its people. More than 90 of them killed last night, hundreds in critical condition.

A fuel tanker is reported to have overturned lat night near the farming town of Molo in Kenya's Rift Valley. A fire broke out when hundreds of locals looking to collect the spilled oil rushed in.  Authorities are still unsure what the source of the spark was, although there are allegations that it was a deliberate action by latecomers who were stopped from joining in the collection by a locally-stationed GSU unit, an allegation reported by both the BBC and the Nation. The GSU, some media houses allege, were looking to participate vicariously in the extraction by extorting money from the oil-collecting public.

Coming days after the Nakumatt incident, it is observed with great concern that there was a repeated lack of preparedness on the part of local authorities: the fire engine took more than an hour to get to the scene, and the Rift Valley township had no fire response of its own. The public, in addition, is similarly uneducated in dealing with hazards and tragedies such as this.

The Nation reports that relatives of missing persons can call +254 722300701 or contact Red Cross officials on the ground on +254 720 460 438 and +254 720 430455.

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