Panic has gripped residents of Chewoyet village in Kapenguria, West Pokot County after three people among them two pupils of Chewoyet primary school on Friday evening died in a borehole.
The class eight pupils were drawing water from the well after a container they were using fell inside the bore hall.
The borehole which in school and is being used by learners, teachers and the neighboring community.
One male pupil decided to enter the 40 feet borehole to remove the container but didn’t come back, a move that prompted his counterpart to follow him but also disappeared inside.
It forced people who were around to go and call a well builder who tried to descend into the bore hall but accidentally, the rope he was using was cut and he fell inside and also died after lacking oxygen.
The County rescue team, the police and Kenya Red Cross society volunteers and other experts who arrived to remove the three bodies failed.
However, one layman, Mr Leonard Kasighyo Kamosin surprised the huge crowd that had turned up to witness the tragedy by entering the bore hole and retrieved the bodies.
Speaking to the media a resident, Mr Eric Kerkech called for investigation into the incident.
“It is sad to lose three people for a long time. We need to know the truth of what exactly transpired, “he said.
A resident, Ms Lucy Lotee, called on the County government to ensure that all bore holes in schools within the county should have mortars.
“The County government should make sure that every bore hole should have a mortar .They should also make sure that all bore holes are well covered, “he said.
She said that teachers and parents should not leave children to draw water from the boreholes alone.
“We have never witnessed such an incident where three people died in a well,’she said.
Kapenguria ward Member of County Assembly Maddy Polokou said that there is need to put up water pumps instead of boreholes with ropes in the area.
“It is sad to lose such young people,”he said.
West Pokot County commander Mr Jackson Tumwet confirmed the incident saying that they are conducting investigations.
‘The man wanted to save the school children but it was unfortunate,”he said.
The three bodies were moved to Kapenguria County referral hospital mortuary awaiting postmortem.