KPC Kisumu depot recalls trucks loaded with water instead of petrol

Kenya Pipeline Company (KPC) depot in Kisumu on Tuesday recalled trucks that were loaded with water instead of petrol, allegedly by mistake.

One of the truck drivers realised from a leakage before leaving KPC premises that the shipment was not super petrol as designated but water.

Mr Abiud Jafar said he realised the fault after noticing a leakage from one of the compartments of his tanker.

Mr Jafar reported the matter immediately to the Kisumu depot which prompted the management to call back the trucks which had left the facility.

Some of the people affected were said to have travelled as far as 60km before noticing or being alerted to verify the contents of their trucks.

KPC Kisumu manager Herman Munga did not confirm or deny the mishap but said they are investigating the matter which could have affected a number of truck drivers who loaded at the premises.

“We have received the complaints and have called back all the people affected to be able to establish what could have gone wrong,” said Mr Munga.

He said that they were taking seriously the issue and would not like the public to be adversely affected.

Following the incident, KPC stopped the loading of super petrol for hours as they tried to check the anomalies and restore operations.

One loader attributed the mistake to failure by KPC attendants to drain the water at the tank as should be the norm. In a bid to beat deadlines, KPC staff at the facility pumped without checking on what they were loading.

Though Kenya Pipeline management has assured consumers of quality products living the depot, the mistake could be a pointer to failure by those in charge of quality assurance.