Firefighters at the Eldoret NCPB depot on January 4, 2018, where an inferno broke out burning part of the premises. [Photo: nation.co.ke]
Firefighters from the Uasin Gishu county government and those from Eldoret International Airport have contained the fire that erupted after one of the maize driers exploded at National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB) silo in Eldoret early Thursday.
According to the County Executive in charge of Agriculture Gideon Birir, the fire started at 4 am.
The cause of the fire that burnt a section of the silo is yet to be identified but is suspected that a mortar explosion in one of the driers housing three silos ignited it.
"We were informed of a fire incident at the NCPB and our firefighters responded swiftly and managed to contain it with the help from the Eldoret International Airport firefighters," Birir told the press.
"Had we not responded on time the situation could have been worse given that this facility is key for the country's food security," he added.
Workers at the silo told the press that they heard a loud explosion before a huge inferno engulfed the silo.Damages caused by the fire could not be immediately established.