Kenyan officials have appealed for help in finding containers of a highly toxic chemical stolen from an overturned truck near the capital Nairobi.
Health officials warn that sodium cyanide is dangerous and can be fatal if swallowed or inhaled, even in small amounts, and poses a major risk to the environment.
It is not uncommon in Kenya for trucks to be looted after a traffic accident. After the truck overturned on Saturday night, several containers were taken by people who were quickly on the scene.
The government urged people to avoid the site, which is located on the busy Nairobi-Nakuru highway, while the US Embassy advised its citizens to take a detour.
The accident happened about 35 kilometers from Nairobi and caused a leak on the asphalt.
It is unclear what caused the truck to overturn. Authorities have also not released details about the driver’s condition.
The National Environment Agency urged the public to immediately notify the nearest police station if they see the containers.
“The public is also warned not to come into contact with the contents of the containers, which are white, granular substances,” the agency said.
Kenya Ministry of Health said the chemical should only be used by people wearing protective clothing.
“Sodium cyanide interferes with oxygen utilization, leading to rapid death when ingested or inhaled in high doses. Symptoms include headache, dizziness, rapid breathing, nausea, vomiting and convulsions,” the report said.
Sodium cyanide can contaminate soil and groundwater, the ministry said. The chemical can also persist in the environment for a long time and then accumulate in the food chain.
According to the U.S. National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, sodium cyanide is used commercially in fumigation, extracting gold and silver from ores, and in chemical production, among other applications.
According to local media, some people took containers of the chemical, while others who came with jerry cans left without taking anything, realizing the substance was useless to them.
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