Traders at Gikomba market are counting yet another spate of losses after another fire broke out at the popular second-hand merchandise market early Sunday morning.
The fire is said to have ravaged through the footwear section of the market adjacent to Lamu Road in Pumwani, Majengo. Reportedly, it broke out in the wee hours of Sunday morning at around 3am.
In videos seen by Kenyans.co.ke, the blaze was seen overtaking the market, forming yellow clouds as an unknown amount of product went up in the flames.
While confirming the incident, Kamukunji Member of Parliament Yusuf Hassan stated that county firefighters and local volunteers had arrived at the scene and were fighting the raging fire.
As of now, the cause of the fire outbreak is yet to be determined.
This is not the first time the popular market has caught on fire, as the area's close quarters and fire hazards have made it prone to such disasters.
The most recent incident was on April 1, when another night fire broke out at around 3am at the Kwa Mbao section of the market, ravaging the entire area and spilling onto the neighbouring bus station.
Traders who lost their wares during the fire suspected that faulty electricity had caused the fire to break out.
Oddly, the Kwa Mbao fire happened exactly a month after a similar incident at the same place on March 1. Traders have, several times, blamed the frequent fires on rivals who they claim set the fires to take out the competition.
On April 9, the Deputy President Kithure Kindiki instructed the police and other investigative agencies to probe the matter of the frequent infernos at popular markets like Gikomba and Toi.
“The government has instructed relevant agencies to investigate the cause of the frequent infernos in the markets within Nairobi City County, including Gikomba and Toi Market, and provide comprehensive long-term solutions to avoid recurrence,” a statement from the DP's office read.
He also outlined possible solutions for the frequent outbreaks, including building modern markets that are fully equipped with important facilities, including fire control equipment.
