Uasin Gishu County fire brigade retrieved the body of a man from a borehole at a home in Ilula village.

According to Uasin Gishu County Chief Fire Officer David Sitati, the middle-aged man had been hired to clean the borehole but died as a result of suffocation.

This is the fourth case within the area in the past two months alone.

“It’s dangerous to enter any borehole especially when it is hot. We urge home owners and people with boreholes to be cautious and not to hire anyone to clean their boreholes when the temperatures are high,” he advised.

Sitati said his team had a difficult time at the scene trying to calm angry residents who blamed the home owner for the incident and wanted to punish him.

The residents threatened to take matters in their hands but the fire brigade appealed to them to let law enforcers handle the matter.

“Our team had a hectic time retrieving the body from the borehole as the entrance is narrow,” stated Sitati.

He further urged residents to ensure their boreholes are properly covered and protected.

Just last month, a 23-year-old man drowned int River Soy, also in Uasin Gishu County.

The deceased Elias Musto Tobila from West Pokot County had visited his aunt before meeting his death at the river where he had gone to take a bath.

The incident brought to nine, the number of people who have drowned in the swollen lake since the beginning of this year.

Sitati yesterday called on residents to desist from using the lake to bath or fetch water for domestic use as it has become very slippery and swollen following the heavy rains pounding the region.