Kenya Pipeline steps up community safety drive amid rising fire incidents

For residents of informal settlements of Viwandani along Lungalunga Road in Industrial area, Nairobi, fire outbreaks have become an all-too-familiar threat, leaving families counting losses and rebuilding from scratch. 

According to one of the community elders, Mary Mutua, the situation has been dire in recent weeks, with repeated incidents devastating homes and livelihoods. 

“In the past month, we have had fires almost four times, and the last incident destroyed more than 30 houses,” she said, recalling how a recent blaze razed more than 30 houses. 

Although no lives were lost, she noted that families were left homeless, with children’s school materials and essential belongings reduced to ashes.

It is against this backdrop that the Kenya Pipeline Company (KPC) has intensified efforts to engage surrounding communities through safety training programmes aimed at equipping residents with life-saving skills in light of the International 

Speaking during the session on Wednesday 29, Chief Fire Safety Officer Kennedy Owiti said the training is part of a wider engagement framework aligned with international standards under the International Labour Organisation (ILO). 

With this year's theme focusing on promoting a healthy psychosocial working environment as a pathway to thriving workers and strong organisation, he noted that the company is increasingly recognising the importance of community well-being as part of its safety agenda.

“We have been concentrating so much on health, safety and environment, and this time an element of psychosocial matters has come into being to bring in the community outside to relate with KPC and surrounding communities,” he said.

While acknowledged that industrial operations can have environmental and health implications, including pollution of air, water and soil, which in turn affect nearby populations, he said KPC is keen on fostering dialogue with residents to better understand and mitigate these effects.

Beyond fire safety, the training also incorporated sessions by the National Counter-Terrorism Unit, equipping residents with skills to detect, prevent and respond to potential threats. 

Mr. Owiti said such knowledge is critical in enhancing overall public safety.

During a community training, residents were taken through practical fire safety measures and counter-terrorism awareness, lessons that many admitted were long overdue. 

Jackson Waweru, a resident, said the session challenged long-held misconceptions about emergency response.

Initially, he believed that in the event of a terror attack, the safest option was to run to the police.

However, he now understands the importance of staying put until it is safe to move.

Equally transformative were lessons on fire response.  Residents learned that not all fires should be handled the same way particularly those caused by cooking oil. 

“We have been putting out fires the wrong way. We have been using water on cooking oil fires, but they should be extinguished with a wet towel," Waweru explained, noting that using water on oil fires can worsen the situation. 

The training also introduced them to different firefighting tools, including dry powder extinguishers and water-based systems, knowledge that is scarce in informal settlements where such equipment is largely unavailable.

"We have been putting out fires the wrong way. We have been using water on cooking oil fires, but they should be extinguished with a wet towel," he said, adding, "we live in a slum. There are no fire extinguishers. This training will help us a lot.”

For many in the densely populated neighbourhoods, the absence of basic firefighting equipment like extinguishers has long exposed them to heightened risk. 

Lilian Mukade, a member of the KPC's neigbouring community, observed that the training would go a long way in bridging this gap, empowering residents to act swiftly and correctly in emergencies.

“Today’s training has helped me understand how to control fire disasters because where we live is a slum with iron-sheet houses. Fires frequently occur, and we didn’t know how to control or stop them," she said. 

The initiative, facilitated through local leadership including chiefs and village elders, reflects a broader strategy by KPC to strengthen ties with communities living around its operational areas.

The company's staff also benefited from the two-day training programme. 

"We are putting the person who is working at the center of activities in terms staff well-being, ensuring that they work safely and mentally indulge in the work as an individual and able to protect themselves and the company," stated, Ibrahim Adan, Chief Environment and Sustainability Officer at KPC.

The company's acting Managing Director Pius Mwendwa said the engagement has provided valuable insights into psychosocial issues with and without the workplace, assuring that they will be acted upon. 

"We recognise that psychosocial risks such as excessive workloads, long working hours, limited autonomy, poor communication, and workplace stress can negatively affect employee wellbeing and increase the likelihood of accidents and incidents," he said. 

Through these engagements, KPC hopes to build a more informed and resilient community one that is not only aware of risks but also prepared to respond effectively, ultimately reducing the devastating impact of disasters that have, for too long, defined life in these neighbourhoods.