Fire destroys two Coast hotels

Workers clear debris from what remained of Bottoms Up Club in Shanzu, Mombasa on Thursday after it was burnt down in a night inferno. The cause of the Wednesday night fire has not yet been established. Photo/GIDEON MAUNDU

Property worth millions of shillings was lost after two popular coast hotels caught fire.

The first incident occurred on Wednesday evening in Shanzu, North Coast, where the inferno that originated from a residential house spread to the Bottoms Up club, razing the premises.

Eight other residential houses were also destroyed, leaving more than 10 families homeless.

So intense was the inferno that efforts by fire-fighters from Mombasa council and the Kenya Ports Authority to contain it were fruitless.

Ms Mary Mutai, the proprietor of the club, said the fire started from a residential building about 200 metres away.

“I rescued very few items, but they were looted by onlookers. At the moment I cannot tell the total loss but it is an unfortunate case since I had just furnished the club with new seats from Dubai a few weeks ago,” Ms Mutai said amid tears.

Kisauni OCPD Julius Wanjohi said preliminary investigation indicated the fire was caused by an electrical fault.

At the Leopard Beach Resort and Spa in Diani, South Coast, the fire which started at 2.15am on Thursday consumed the hotel’s grill room, laundry, linen stores and several offices, but did not spread to the accommodation rooms, boutiques, pizza place and the Uzuri Spa.

Mr Chris Modigell, the general manager of the resort, said the night receptionist spotted the fire on the makuti (palm frond) roof near the grill room and raised the alarm.

“Hotel staff from villages in Ukunda and personnel from neighbouring hotels quickly moved in to help put out the fire using the hotel’s in-house fire fighting ring and portable fire pumps,” Mr Modigell said on phone.

Although there were no casualties, Mr Modigell was disappointed by the absence of the Kwale County Council in the rescue operation.