Residents siphoning fuel from overturned tanker clash with police

Nakuru, Kenya: Police in Nakuru clashed with youths they found siphoning fuel from a tanker that had overturned in Pipeline along the Nakuru-Nairobi highway on Sunday.

An eyewitness said the accident happened at around 7am when the driver lost control of the 30,000-litre tanker, causing it to overturn.

Locals had a field day scooping the fuel, which flowed freely along the trench.

"I was in my shop when I heard a screeching sound then a loud bang. A few minutes later I saw people rushing to the scene with jerricans," said the witness.

Police from Pipeline Police Station had rough time controlling the crowd that was busy scooping the fuel, oblivious to the danger they were exposing themselves to.

Petrocity Nakuru Depot Manager Martin Mwangi said the tanker was ferrying petroleum products from Konza and was in transit to Kampala, Uganda.

"The police eventually managed to secure the fuel from residents who were on a siphoning spree," said Mr Mwangi.