Worshippers escape unhurt as fire razes church in Mombasa
A fire burnt the Open Gate Ministries church in Kiembeni, Mombasa on Saturday July 26, 2014. Children who were having choir practice in preparation for the Sunday service escaped unhurt. PHOTO | KEVIN ODIT
What you need to know:
- The fire was said to have been caused by sparks from a faulty electric bulb.
- The children were part of the choir that was practicing for a Sunday service.
- Worshippers used buckets of water to put out the fire before the Mombasa County fire brigade arrived.
- Mr Maghanga said the afternoon incident was an accident and not a case of arson or terror.
Several children escaped unhurt Saturday after a faulty electric bulb emitted sparks that caused a fire which razed a Mombasa church.
The children were part of the Open Gate Ministries Kiembeni Worship Church choir that was practicing for the Sunday service.
Witnesses at the scene said the afternoon inferno then spread to a nearby school, where a section of a building was partly destroyed.
During the incident, residents and worshippers used buckets of water to put out the fire that was later extinguished with the help of the Mombasa County fire Brigade.
A Shocked worshipper Kitindi Maghanga said the faithful salvaged seats and musical equipment from the church premises.
Mr Maghanga said the afternoon incident was an accident and not a case of arson or terror.
“We have lost the makuti thatched building and we are waiting for the priest to arrive to let us know whether a service will take place tomorrow,” Mr Maghanga said.
He said the value of the property destroyed had not been established since the assessors had not carried out valuation.
A witness George Bandika claimed that the public turned rowdy and tried to barricade the Mombasa County brigade fire engines for taking too long to arrive at the scene.
“We felt that the church building could have been saved only if they could have arrived fast,” he said.
