10 Worst Energy-Related Disasters of 2011

 4. Pipeline Explosion in Kenya




 On September 12, 2011, a fuel pipeline exploded in a densely populated area of Nairobi. The explosion was so powerful it flattened homes and reduced some bodies to dust. According to the Red Cross, at least 75 people were killed in the explosion, while other reports suggest more than 100 people died. 118 people were admitted to hospitals with injuries from the blast. The exact cause of the explosion has not been determined. Police believe the pipeline may have been punctured in an effort to steal fuel. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Raila Odinga says a mechanism on the pipeline failed, allowing fuel to spill into a drainage ditch where it ignited -- most likely the result of a lit cigarette. Odinga called the explosion the "worst energy-related disaster in Kenya's history."



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