A fire erupted at a business building in Eastleigh, Nairobi, on Wednesday, October 16, evening sending thick plumes of smoke into the air and sparking alarm among traders and residents.
The blaze broke out in a building near Marwa Towers along Muratina Road, attracting a crowd of onlookers who watched helplessly as flames engulfed the lower floors.
Videos circulating on social media captured the desperate scene as the fire raged, prompting an urgent response from the Nairobi City County fire team. The Kenya Red Cross confirmed that firefighters were actively battling the blaze, with support teams on standby to offer first aid and psychological help to anyone affected.
The cause of the fire and whether or not there are any injuries remains unclear at the moment. In a tweet on X social media stated, “We have liaised with the Nairobi City County Fire team, who are on the ground working to extinguish the fire.”
Kenya Red Cross stated, “The Kenya Red Cross is on standby, ready to provide first aid services and psychosocial support to those affected.”
Authorities have not yet determined the cause of the fire, nor has there been any confirmation of injuries. The incident comes on the heels of another fire that occurred on Wednesday in the Jerusalem area of Dagoretti South, where rescue teams were dispatched to tackle the flames. Like the Eastleigh blaze, the cause of that fire also remains undetermined.
Recent months have seen Nairobi plagued by a spate of fire incidents, with this latest outbreak adding to the growing concern. On the night of October 13, two separate fires left around 20 households affected in Viwandani's Riverside Village, triggering swift intervention from county disaster management teams and local community responders.
Governor Johnson Sakaja recently inspected fire damage at a trading area on Desai Road, Ngara, on September 2, where numerous traders lost their livelihoods. The governor's visit highlighted ongoing efforts to strengthen the city's fire response mechanisms and to provide support to those who suffer losses from such incidents.
Further fire outbreaks were reported in September, including a blaze in Kawangware's Muslim area on the 19th, and another at Mukuru Kwa Njenga on the 16th. These frequent fires have pushed the Nairobi Red Cross to ramp up fire-extinguishing training across the county, aiming to equip communities with better emergency response skills.
The county fire brigade has often been at the forefront of these efforts, successfully putting out the flames at Jua Kali Green Corner in Embakasi on September 14, where 24 homes were destroyed but no casualties reported. Similarly, a fire at Umoja 3 near Chokmatt Supermarket on August 29 resulted in no injuries.
The rising frequency of fire incidents has sparked calls for stronger fire prevention measures and better-equipped response teams to minimise the impact on Nairobi's densely populated areas. As authorities continue to probe the cause of the Eastleigh blaze, many residents and business owners remain on edge, hoping for swifter action to safeguard lives and properties across the city.
