Two men from Sipande village, Mautuma location in Lugari Sub County escaped death by a whisker after falling in a 62ft deep borehole where they spent more than six hours before being rescued alive.
The two, Stephen Muyugani Munialo aged 43 and Fredrick Kabirire, 41, had been hired by Mr. Andrew Ngutuku to scoop sand from his borehole which had accumulated for several months without being used when the tragedy occurred.
Muyugani was the first to descend in the borehole at about 8:30 am but he collapsed before he even reached the bottom, due to a lack of sufficient oxygen. Kabirire, who was waiting to lift the sand bucket tried to save his colleague and descended down, with a rope tied around his waist. Unfortunately, the rope couldn’t support him and he also tumbled.
Residents thronged the compound and tried to rescue them, but efforts bore no fruits. Waving banana leaves they tried to ensure the two had access to sufficient oxygen and also poured fresh water in the borehole.
The entire Sub County security team led by area Deputy County Commissioner Mrs. Agnes Karoki, OCPD Bernard Macharia and the Sub County Administration Police Commandant Mrs. Margaret Mwalua rushed to scene but they couldn’t help them.
Later the Nucleus Children’s Trust rescue team under their director John Kariuki were called in and with concerted efforts from members of the public they managed to remove the two from the borehole at about 3:00 pm and rushed them to Lumakanda Sub County hospital where they are admitted in stable condition.
Residents have expressed their disappointment over the lack of disaster management centre in the area and appealed to both the county and national governments to put up the facility in the area and ensure it is fully equipped to help save lives when various calamities struck.