The British High Commission in Kenya has launched a probe after five elephants were reportedly killed in fires started by UK soldiers during exercise at the Lolldaiga military training area in Nanyuki, Laikipia County. The incident is said to have occurred on WedTesday when the British troops were reportedly cooking a meal on a camping stove and accidentally set light to dry grass, causing a fire that spread.
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The Commission, in a statement released on Thursday, said reports of the dead elephants as well as a social media post by one of the British soldiers are being looked into.
The message posted by the soldier on Snapchat on March 20, 2021 (presumably during an earlier fire), read: “Two months in Kenya later and we’ve only got eight days left. Been good, caused a fire, killed an elephant and feel terrible about it but hey-ho, when in Rome.”
The British High Commission also stated that all training exercise has since been halted with all personnel, among them 350 troops, deployed to beat the fire.
Three helicopters and a crop-sprayer aircraft have been dispatched to pour water on the fire from above while four water tanker trucks are dumping water on the ground.