KENYA – A 34-year-old man died on Friday after he was trapped inside a boiler at an established steel manufacturing factory in Thika, Kiambu County.
Caleb Otieno, the second born in their family, who had been working at the boiler’s section was liquefied, leaving family and fellow workers in disbelief and grief.
According to his brother John Agwambo, Otieno who has worked at the company for at least seven years was performing his normal chores at the open boiler when the gloves he was wearing were stuck in one of the metals he was pushing into the boiler.
“We were told that he might have tripped and fallen into the boiler and the body cannot be found since the temperatures are usually very high and the body is already liquified and therefore we cannot get anything even for the burial,” Agwambo said.
None of Otieno’s body organs was recovered as his entire body had been smashed and mixed with the boiler’s fluid.
The deceased’s brother questioned the report issued by the company saying a lot of mystery revolves around the disappearance of their kin.
“HR wametuambia tukuje Monday but so far we feel like they are taking us in circles. We have tried to inquire on a lot of things but it seems they’re hiding something…they’re just telling us police investigations are underway,” the brother explained.
The family of Otieno now want the government to intervene so that justice may be served.
They also urged the government to conduct a crackdown on industries to ascertain whether security concerns for workers are upheld.
“What we want is justice for the family which has lost their second-born son. He was the breadwinner,” a family member said.
“…we’re losing lives in these industries, because of lack of security is not good. The government should intervene and enforce the law on all companies to ensure there is safety security.”
