Another fire razes houses in Nairobi's Mukuru-Kaiyaba slum

Youths put out a fire at Mukuru-Kaiyaba slum in South B, Nairobi, on March 15, 2019. PHOTO | SAMMY KIMATU | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • The fire started in the evening at one of the houses and spread to the others, fanned by strong winds, while most of the residents were away at work.
  • Fire engines could not reach the scenes as there wasn't sufficient space due to encroachment on access roads.
  • Landamwe Ward Representative Herman Azangu Kaimosi asked residents to be cautious about electrical connections and the storage of items in their houses.

More than 200 residents of Mukuru-Kaiyaba slum in South B, Nairobi, spent Friday night in the cold as a fire razed about 100 iron sheet houses.

The fire started in the evening at one of the houses and spread to the others, fanned by strong winds, while most of the residents were away at work.

Fire engines could not reach the scenes as there wasn't sufficient space due to encroachment on access roads.

One did not make it past the entrance to Mukuru Primary School and its body was dented by the perimeter wall.

DESPERATE

Area senior chief Solomon Muranguri, police officers and local leaders were among those who went to the scene.

Desperate to keep the fire from spreading, youths led by one Rotrigues Lunano pulled down structures while others lined up from Ngong River to rooftops, and used buckets and basins to put out the fire.

Some hurled stones and buckets at a fire fighter spotted in the area but police intervened.

A man helps put out a fire at Mukuru-Kaiyaba slum in South B, Nairobi, on March 15, 2019. PHOTO | SAMMY KIMATU | NATION MEDIA GROUP

SEVERAL CASES

This fire incident added to several that have taken place in Mukuru slums this year.

Early in January, a fire razed four houses, business premises and four shanties at Mukuru-Hazina slum in Nairobi.

Another incident in the same area that month saw 46 houses go up in flames.

Landamwe Ward Representative Herman Azangu Kaimosi asked residents to be cautious about electrical connections and the storage of items in their houses.

Mr Azangu and Starehe member of parliament Charles Njagua also told the people to build stone houses to minimise damage caused by fires.

A fire truck is stuck at the entrance to Mukuru Primary School at Mukuru-Kaiyaba slum in South B, Nairobi, during a fire on March 15, 2019. PHOTO | SAMMY KIMATU | NATION MEDIA GROUP