A video of a man spraying petrol over a car at a Nairobi petrol station has become one of the most-shared clips on Kenyan social media this week. Shell's local marketer has condemned the act as reckless and dangerous.

The footage was recorded on the night of Wednesday, October 28, at the Shell Westview Service Station in Nairobi. It shows a man in a white vest holding a fuel nozzle and pointing a stream of petrol at the body of a vehicle while another man stands nearby watching. No attendant is seen stepping in.

Vivo Energy responds

Vivo Energy Kenya, which markets and distributes Shell-branded fuels and lubricants in the country, issued a statement on Thursday. "We strongly condemn this act of irresponsible, reckless and negligent conduct," the company said, according to The Star and Citizen Digital. It said the behaviour fell short of the safety standards expected at Shell stations in Kenya and added: "Safety is our highest priority."

The company said:

  • it was reviewing the circumstances of the incident;
  • the station's retailer had reported the matter to the relevant authorities for investigation;
  • it was tightening safety requirements across its station network to prevent a repeat.

Vivo also thanked members of the public who raised concerns. It did not say whether the people in the video had been identified or whether anyone had been arrested.

Why it alarmed Kenyans

Petrol is highly flammable, and its vapour can ignite from a spark, a lit cigarette or the heat of an engine. Spraying fuel in the open on a busy forecourt puts the people doing it at risk, along with other motorists, attendants and nearby homes and businesses. Fire safety experts regularly warn against even using a mobile phone near fuel pumps.

Many Kenyans online asked how the act could go on long enough to be filmed at a place where strict safety rules apply. "I wonder what kind of behaviour is this, rich people don't even do that," one user wrote in a comment quoted by The Star. Others called for the people in the clip to be traced and for station staff to be questioned about why no one intervened.

Part of a wider trend

The clip is the latest in a run of stunts filmed for social media that have gone too far, from dangerous driving to pranks in public places. Online reactions often turn into calls for regulators to act. For now, Vivo's statement and the report to the authorities are the only official action taken.

Photos: flightlog via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0); The Star (video still). Thumbnail design: HAMASTA MEDIA.