EPRA Halts Topline Traders’ LPG Operations After Fatal Nakuru Explosion

The Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA) has ordered the immediate suspension of all liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) operations at Topline Traders Limited following a devastating explosion at its Nakuru garage that claimed two lives.

The regulatory action comes after a comprehensive investigation into the April 7 incident revealed multiple safety violations that directly contributed to the fatal blast.

Topline Traders’ senior official Abdi Elmi confirmed the suspension to this reporter but declined to provide additional details.

“Yes. We have suspended the operations,” Elmi stated briefly when contacted.

According to EPRA’s 28-page investigative report, the explosion occurred when workers were conducting hot work inside an LPG tanker that had not been properly purged of gas.

The primary cause was identified as “the failure by Topline Traders Limited to ensure safe maintenance practices during hot works inside an LPG tanker.”

The investigation revealed that Jeremiah Mwangi and a colleague were cutting dislodged metal plates inside an LPG tanker that had supposedly undergone maintenance since April 3.

Despite four days of natural ventilation, dangerous residual LPG vapors remained inside the vessel.

At approximately 11:30 a.m., when Mwangi ignited an LPG torch to continue the work, the trapped vapors detonated in a violent explosion.

The blast ejected automotive engineer Enock Kibet Cheruiyot, who had been assisting with a flashlight from the manhole rim, throwing him several meters onto a metal plate.

Cheruiyot died instantly from severe head trauma and internal injuries, with a postmortem confirming multiple rib fractures and liver damage.

Mwangi, who suffered burns to 40 percent of his body, succumbed to respiratory failure days later.

EPRA’s investigation employed a “Five Whys” analysis that traced the disaster to systemic failures, including a weak safety culture and inadequate oversight.

The report states that workers incorrectly assumed natural ventilation was sufficient to clear the tank of dangerous vapors, while supervisors prioritized speed over safety protocols.

“This was not an accident, it was a preventable tragedy,” EPRA concluded in its report.

The investigation also applied the Swiss Cheese Model to identify layered failures in organizational practices, including company-wide complacency, inadequate hazard identification, and engineering oversights like the use of non-intrinsically safe tools in a hazardous environment.

Under the terms of the suspension, Topline Traders must develop a comprehensive Corrective Action Plan addressing all identified violations before operations can resume.

The company is required to retrain all staff on proper confined space entry procedures and gas detection.

Acquire properly calibrated explosimeters and explosion-proof equipment and hire independent auditors to certify compliance with safety regulations.