Two drown in swimming pool tragedy at Sunpark Residence, Syokimau

The swimming pool at Sunpark Residence in Syokimau where the two lost their lives. [Mate Tongola, Standard]

Two families are grieving the loss of their loved ones following a tragic drowning incident at an expansive swimming pool within Sunpark Residence in Syokimau, Machakos County.

The victims, both middle-aged men, died within an hour of each other after one attempted to rescue the other at the facility located in Phase One of the estate.

According to a statement shared by the estate management on the residents’ WhatsApp group, a day guard stationed in Phase Two accessed the swimming pool without authorization. The guard, who reportedly lacked swimming skills, drowned shortly after entering the pool.

Upon noticing the incident, a male cleaner who was on duty at the nearby gym rushed to help. However, he too did not have swimming skills and drowned while attempting to rescue his colleague.

Medics arrived at the scene in time and made several attempts to resuscitate the two using Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR), but their efforts were unsuccessful.

In the aftermath of the incident, the swimming pool has been closed indefinitely, while the gym facility, Fitness Fort, located a few metres from the pool, remains operational.

Estate management has advised residents to stay away from the swimming pool until further notice, as investigations and safety reviews continue.

The incident has sparked mixed reactions among tenants, with many calling on management to enhance safety measures at the facility, including hiring a lifeguard, installing guardrails, and upgrading CCTV surveillance systems.