At least 6 people die as a group of wedding guests drown in an underground water tank

At least six people in a group attending a wedding ceremony on Saturday drowned while singing and dancing on an underground water tank.

Six of the victims, including children, are said to have died after the lid of the tank collapsed and they plunged in and drowned, police said.

The incident happened in Kihunguro, Ruiru, Kiambu County.

Police said the group, including children, had arrived at a house for a wedding ceremony when they stopped at a concrete tank and ventured into a dance.

According to police, the weight of the group caused the concrete cover of the tank to collapse, drowning them.

This set off an alarm as bystanders rushed to save them. One child died on the spot, while the rest of the group were taken to hospital.

Police said five others were confirmed dead on arrival at Ruiru hospital.

A team from the Kiambu Fire Service rushed to rescue the group trapped in the underground water tank.

Kiambu Governor Kimani Wamatangi confirmed the incident.

“An underground water tank collapsed at Kihunguro near the administrative police post in Ruiru sub-county.

Friends and family were celebrating a wedding when the tank collapsed with about 30 people inside,” he said.

“Some of them have been rescued through the efforts of the Kiambu County government fire brigade and community members.

The rescue operation is ongoing.

We sympathise with the affected families and wish the victims a speedy recovery,” he said.