Nairobi Explosion Update

By Dan Okoth


Updated at 08:49 GMT (From The Standard, Nairobi)


There has been an explosion near the Ambassadeur Hotel, Nairobi, this morning. Police have cordoned off the area as rescue teams try to get the injured to hospital. Sources at the scene say there have been some fatalities and injuries.

Police Commissioner Maj Gen Hussein Ali said at least one person is confirmed dead and at least 10 seriously injured. They have been rushed to various city hospitals.

The area has been cordoned off as police investigate. Witnesses said a person with what looked like grenades was seen trying to jump into a bus when the explosion occurred.

The witnesses said he attempted to detonate the grenade and was killed in the explosion.

The explosion occurred next to City Gate restaurant a few metres from the Ambassadeur Hotel. The hotel located in the city centre, has a major bus stage right next to it. It is about 100 metres from the former US embassy where a bomb exploded in 1998 killing 213.

At the time of the explosion, there were scores of pedestrians and workers waiting for buses to their offices.


Latest reports indicate that at least 31 casualties have been admitted to the Kenyatta National Hospital . A team of doctors and nursesA had been mobilised. Sources said seven people with serious injuries were undergoing an operatiom.

Maj Gen Ali who spoke at the scene of the explosion warned the public against speculating on the cause of the explosion.