At least two people have been reported dead and several others nursing injuries after a fire broke out at the Mashimoni area in Laini Saba, Kibra Constituency in Nairobi.
Reports indicate that the fire broke out on Monday night in one of the houses before it quickly spread to other residential buildings, leaving hundreds of families stranded in the cold.
According to eyewitnesses, the fire began while most of the residents were asleep. However, attempts by the locals to put out the inferno proved futile as it spread to other buildings.
While confirming the casualties, Kibra Member of Parliament, Peter Orero revealed that two bodies had since been recovered with search operations still ongoing.
As per the legislator's statement released on Tuesday morning, both bodies were severely burnt, and the identities of the deceased are yet to be established.
He further announced that firefighting and emergency response operations had already been deployed and were in their final stages of putting out the flames, with the fire largely contained.
“Emergency, security, and disaster response teams remain on the ground to secure the area and complete containment efforts,” MP Orero announced.
“I convey my sincere condolences to the families and loved ones affected by this tragic incident. My thoughts are with them and with all residents impacted as response teams conclude their work and assessments continue,” he added.
Videos and images obtained shared widely on social media platforms showed several houses engulfed in smoke, even as locals struggled to put out the fire. Others could be seen watching the unfolding from a distance.
While the main cause of the fire is yet to be established, a section of the locals are now calling on the government to intervene to ensure no further incidents are witnessed in the populous estate.
The Kibra fire incident comes hardly a week after a similar occurrence was witnessed in Mlango Kubwa Estate in Mathare, Nairobi.
The fire at Mlango Kubwa broke out on Wednesday, December 10 and swept through several houses, leaving tens of families homeless. The fire was further escalated by exploding gas cylinders.
However, no casualties were reported in the morning fire tragedy with the incident causing traffic disruption on Nairobi's Juja, Huruma and Eastleigh roads.
