Teacher in ICU after home experiment aborts

A high school chemistry teacher is fighting for his life at Kisii Referral Hospital after an attempted experiment with explosive substances went wrong.

Nyamira North OCPD, Maurice Asilah, said the teacher, Collins Mageto, aged 30, was rushed to the hospital after being injured by an explosion in his house.

“The teacher’s neighbours say that they heard a loud explosion at around 11 am and immediately rushed to the scene and saw part of the roof blow up, the rooftop has been destroyed and the items have been scattered in the house,” Asilah said.

He added that part of the roof of the rented single room where the teacher was living was blown off as a result of the explosion.

Neighbors have described the youthful Chemistry and Biology teacher as a polite man.

Police recovered several samples of chemicals and other experimental equipment from the house.

Inside the house, shells of electronic gadgets including a television set and other items were scattered on the floor.

Asilah said that the initial assessment by the police indicates that the explosion has no direct link to any criminal activity.

“We have invited bomb experts and the Anti-Terrorism Police Unit to carry out comprehensive investigations at the scene for a better expert opinion. But our assumption is because he is a science teacher, he may have been doing a scientific experiment which went bad,” said Mr Asilah.

He said a team of ATPU experts is expected today to probe the scene.