At least 6 people reportedly died while 16 others sustained injuries following a fire outbreak on Tuesday night in the Majengo area of Kamukunji, Nairobi.
The fire, which broke out at around 8.30 pm, burnt down at least 50 houses rendering several families homeless. The incident forced the residents to seek shelter in the neighbouring estates.
While confirming the fire tragedy, the Kenya Red Cross Society announced that it had dispatched a rescue team to the scene to help extinguish the fire and attend to those injured.
During the incident, several other people were reported missing even as the multi-agency team consisting of officials from the Kenya Red Cross, the National Police Service (NPS) and the Nairobi County Disaster Management team intensified efforts to put out the inferno.
According to the humanitarian group, despite the injuries, the firefighters who arrived at the scene moments after the fire successfully managed to put it out with the help of locals.
“Around 50 households were affected and sixteen people sustained minor injuries, all treated by Kenya Red Cross. The Kenya Red Cross remains on-site, supporting efforts to locate missing persons,” read part of a statement by the Kenya Red Cross.
“Together with the Nairobi City County Fire Department and community members, we have managed to contain a fire incident in Kitui Village, Majengo, Nairobi,” the statement added.
Photos and videos of the scene which have since circulated online depicted residents watching from a distance even as property of unknown value went up in flames. Some residents were captured attempting to salvage their property from the fire.
The cause of the inferno has yet to be established, with police officers commencing a probe to unravel the root cause of the fire. Meanwhile, the latest incident adds to a long list of fire incidents reported across the country, particularly in Nairobi.
The Kamukunji tragedy comes hardly a day after a fire destroyed property of unknown value in the Mlango Kubwa Estate in Mathare Sub-County, Nairobi.
The fire which broke out on Monday, November 18 at around 7.30 pm burnt down at least 50 households with the Kenya Red Cross forced to intervene. “Fire outbreak reported in Mathare, Mlango Kubwa area. Our Community-Based Disaster Response Team (CBDRTs) is at the scene,” the Kenya Red Cross announced.
Moments later, the Nairobi Disaster Management team, along with the area police officers, arrived at the scene and put out the fire that had engulfed several houses.
