A 45-year-old man drowned in River Nyando in Kisumu County while collecting petroleum products that had spilled into the water following damage to a Kenya Pipeline Company pipe.
The body of Fredrick Ouma Sombe was discovered on Saturday, October 10, 2026, approximately 1.5 kilometers downstream from Kibigori Railway Bridge in North East Kano Sub-County.
The deceased was identified by his brother who told police that Sombe had been among members of the public collecting petroleum products floating on the river following accidental damage to a Kenya Pipeline Company pipe.
During the exercise, Sombe reportedly became suffocated, slipped into the water and drowned.
Police processed the scene before moving the body to Othoo Funeral Home, where it is being held pending a post-mortem examination.
The incident highlights the dangers faced by members of the public attempting to recover petroleum products spilled into waterways, particularly where exposure to fuel and difficult conditions can pose serious risks.
Further details regarding the circumstances of the pipeline damage and the recovery of the spilled petroleum products were not immediately available.
Meanwhile, a nine-month-old baby was burnt to death after a fire broke out inside his parents’ house in Itibonge Village, Gucha South Sub-County, Kisii County.
The infant was found dead on a bed inside his parents’ bedroom on October 9, 2026.
According to police, the child’s body was burnt beyond recognition, while the bedding and other items on the bed were completely destroyed by the fire.
Preliminary investigations established that the baby was last seen alive at around 8am by his father, who had left him sleeping in the bedroom before going to the family garden to weed with his wife.
The father reportedly locked the bedroom, leaving the infant and another child, aged three, inside the house.
Neighbours later noticed smoke billowing from the house and raised the alarm. The house was found locked with a padlock.
Upon returning, the father opened the house, and the three-year-old child was rescued. However, the infant had already died in the fire.
Police visited the scene, where they documented and processed evidence.
The infant’s body was subsequently moved to Tabaka Mortuary, where it is being preserved pending a postmortem examination.
Police said the cause and circumstances of the fire had not yet been established as investigations continued.
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