Mike Mwaniki
10 March 2004
Nairobi — Architects say the KPLC installed circuit breaker which spilled the oil that ignited blaze
The fire that broke out at Times Tower on Monday was ignited by a defective circuit breaker.
The incident occurred after the gadget's main unit burst and spilled oil which caught fire. The circuit breaker and distribution board were damaged in the blaze.
The main electrical circuit breaker continued burning even though the other Kenya Power and Lighting Company circuit breakers automatically switched off cutting power supply to the rest of the 36 storeys of the building, the tallest in East Africa.
In a preliminary report, the Architectural Association of Kenya yesterday laid blame on KPLC for installing oil-based circuit breakers whose technology was outdated. Such gadgets are no longer used in private buildings as they have been found to emit toxic gases.
"Our association recommends that KPLC replaces these outdated circuit breakers with new ones based on modern technology, the architects said.
They recommended that the oil-based circuit breakers be replaced with those which either use a special gas known as SF6 or vacuum ones.
When contacted, KPLC spokesman Migwi Theuri said the company had started to phase out oil-based circuit breakers with the modern SF6 gas and vacuum ones.
"This is a gradual process where oil-based circuit breakers in major sub-stations are being replaced with the newer technology which is currently available in the market".
Mr Theuri conceded that the newer technology was "more beneficial" in the event of a fire due to reduced toxic emission.
Industry sources told the Nation that oil-based circuit breakers cost approximately Sh2 million apiece compared to SF6 gas or vacuum ones which cost between Sh2.5 million and Sh3 million apiece.
AAK chairman Gitau Mungai said in a statement: "During our investigations, we found a shell of a similar ring of the main unit nearby which allegedly blew up a few months ago".
He added: "This is a clear indication that these units are dangerous and should be replaced in all buildings where KPLC has installed them". Mr Mungai was accompanied by the association's vice-chairman, Mr D. Kimoro, and other AAK officials.
Meanwhile, the acting Kenya Revenue Authority Commissioner General, Mr Mumo Matemu, said a technical committee comprising officials from KPLC, KRA and consulting civil and electrical engineers were yet to identify the cause of the fire.
Speaking at the KRA boardroom, Mr Matemu said: "I would like to reassure Kenyans that there was no loss of manual or electronic records."
Times Tower, Mr Matemu added, was fully operational using stand-by generators.
In Siaya, two members of Parliament yesterday challenged National Security minister Chris Murungaru to issue a comprehensive statement on the state of security in the country in the wake of escalating fire incidents.
MPs Sammy Weya (Alego-Usonga) and Jakoyo Midiwo (Gem) urged Dr Murungaru to stop politicking and concentrate on his duties as security minister. They were reacting to reports on the fire outbreak at the Times Tower.
The MPs claimed the Government's ability to provide security was being put to test and Kenyans were asking what was happening.
Additional reporting by KNA
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