40 Journalists escape Nairobi hotel fire
A map of Galexon Hotel that caught fire on Friday morning. More than 40 local journalists escaped. PHOTO/GOOGLE MAPS
What you need to know:
- The fire at Galexon Hotel in Kenyatta area broke out on Friday morning in one of the floors
- At least one journalist was caught up in the heavy smoke and collapsed
- The journalists were evacuated and booked at Delta hotel at the city centre
More than 40 local journalists and at least four others from Uganda and Tanzania narrowly escaped death when a hotel they were sleeping in caught fire in Nairobi.
The fire at Galexon Hotel in Kenyatta area broke out on Friday morning in one of the floors of the four storey building.
The fire broke out at about 1am forcing journalists and clients to run for their dear lives some half naked as smoke engulfed the building.
At least one journalist from Royal Media station based in Vihiga County was caught up in the heavy smoke and collapsed as she fought her way out.
She was rushed to Kenyatta National Hospital.
The journalists drawn from Nakuru, Mombasa, Kakamega, Kisumu, Nyeri, Siaya, Nyeri, Kitui, Taita Taveta , Mwingi and Voi were attending a four day Science Congress Conference.
The congress was organised by Media for Environment, Science, Health and Agriculture (Mesha) was being held at Kenya Medical Research Institute (Kemri).
G4S
Efforts by the journalists to call Nairobi city Fire engine did not bear any fruit and after nearly one hour, the G4S firefighting engine and four others from KK Security arrived and put out the raging fire.
"I heard huge bang on my door and I thought the hotel had been invaded by terrorists" said Mary Wagura a radio journalist from Radio Mwananchi in Nakuru.
Mr George Omollo a journalist from Royal Media from Siaya said he thought the building was collapsing.
"At first I heard shouts and cries of fire! Fire! and switched on the lights only to note that there were no lights and then I heard more shouts and I decided to run out," said Mr Omollo.
A South Sudanese national said that he only managed to grab his bag with few belongings and rushed out.
Personal belongings including clothes, shoes and phones were strewn on the corridors as the clients made a quick exit.
"I met a nude woman as I escaped who was crying and I was forced to give her my sweater," said a Journalist from Tanzania.
According to a supervisor at the hotel the cause of fire, which started in a store full of mattresses, could not be immediately be established.
The journalists were evacuated and booked at Delta hotel at the city centre.
