Nyeri residents demand more fire engines

Residents watch as a fire destroys their houses at Kiawara in Nyeri County on January 17, 2015. PHOTO | JOSEPH KANYI |

What you need to know:

  • They accuse the authorities of laxity in their response to fires.

The Nyeri County government is under pressure over it's disaster management plans after over 60 houses at Kiawara informal settlement were destroyed in a fire on January 17, 2015, forcing residents to spend the night in the cold.

The fire, which was the second one in the area after one in April, destroyed property and business structures worth thousands of shillings.

The residents accused the Nyeri government of laxity in their response to fires. They also faulted the county government for failing to invest in fire engines.

The Saturday fire razed the wooden structures, which were in close proximity to each other, as residents watched helplessly, unable to salvage their belongings

Despite responding promptly, the emergency services had difficulty entering the area because of impassable roads.

The fire engine then ran out of water after half an hour as the fire continued to intensify, much to the anger of the residents.

“It is rather unfortunate that a single old fire engine without enough water was sent to respond to such a disaster,” said John Mureithi, a youth leader who assisted in extinguishing the blaze.

A fire engine from Karatina. about 25 kilometres from the area, had to be called but by the time it arrived the fire had destroyed almost everything.

The residents, furious, threatened to destroy the fire engine.

“The county government bought ambulances and police cars but could not purchase fire engines despite increased incidences of fire disasters,” said a resident.

However Nyeri County executive in charge of public administration, Priscilla Wanyiri, refuted the claims saying they had bought three fire engines.

“The impassable roads in the slum areas are the reason why the fire could not be contained, not that the engines were few,” she said.