KISUMU, Kenya — Four brothers aged between eight and 15 years died on Sunday evening after drowning in an abandoned, water-filled quarry in the Kanyakwar area of Kisumu Central sub-county.
The children were swimming in the open quarry, located near Kudho Primary School, when the tragedy occurred, local authorities said.
Kondele Location Chief Maurice Ajwang confirmed the incident, saying all four bodies were later retrieved from the quarry following rescue efforts by residents and security agencies.
Preliminary reports indicate that one of the boys ventured into a deeper section of the quarry and began to drown. His three brothers reportedly jumped into the water in an attempt to rescue him, but were also overwhelmed by the depth and strength of the water.
“The boys were swimming in the quarry when one moved into a deeper end and started drowning. The others tried to save him, but they were all overcome,” Chief Ajwang said.
Residents who noticed the incident raised the alarm, prompting an emergency response. Local rescue teams and police officers were mobilised to the scene, where recovery operations were conducted.
All four bodies were eventually retrieved and taken to the Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral Hospital morgue as police launched investigations into the circumstances surrounding the incident.
The abandoned quarry is said to have deep and uneven sections filled with stagnant water, posing a serious danger to children and residents in the area. Local leaders said the site has remained unsecured despite previous concerns raised by the community.
Police said investigations are ongoing to establish ownership of the quarry and whether negligence contributed to the deaths. Authorities are also assessing whether any safety measures were in place to restrict access to the site.
Chief Ajwang urged parents and guardians to closely monitor children and warned against swimming in unprotected water bodies.
“This is a painful loss for the family and the community. We urge parents to be vigilant and for responsible agencies to secure such dangerous sites,” he said.
The tragedy has left residents of Kanyakwar in shock, with community members calling for urgent action to fence off abandoned quarries and enforce accountability to prevent similar incidents.
More details are expected as investigations continue.
