'It was a fire!' KWS says there was no volcanic eruption at Mt Longonot

The Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) has refuted claims that there was a volcanic eruption at Mt Longonot on Thursday.

In a statement on Friday, the state corporation clarified media reports of an alleged eruption saying the images of smoke were a result of a fire outbreak on the southern side of Mt. Longonot National Park which has already been put out.

“There was no volcanic eruption of the mountain as reported in some media platforms. We assure that the park is safe for all visitors," read a section of the statement.

"A fire outbreak on the southern side of Mt Longonot National Park reported on Thursday, October 27, 2022, has been put out."

An emergency response team dispatched to the area managed to contain and finally extinguish the inferno this morning,” read the statement.

KWS says that the said inferno had ravaged about 40 acres by the time it was put out on Friday morning even though it did not ascertain the cause of the fire.

"An emergency response team dispatched to the area managed to contain and finally extinguish the inferno this morning. By the time the fire was put out, it had ravaged 40 acres of bushland,” stated KWS.

Mt Longonot, a dormant volcano is said to have lastly erupted in the 1860s.