Worshipers at a church in Maara, Tharaka Nithi County narrowly escaped death after the church building caught fire during service.
Pastor Loyford Nkonge of the Redeemed Gospel Church in Kanyambo market was speaking to some of the congregants when the fire broke out.
The church choir was also practicing when the incident happened.
The panicked faithful ran in all directions others escaping through the door while others left the house of prayer through windows.
Nkonge and an elderly lady were the last to leave the church which was already engulfed in flames.
The pastor sustained burns to his hands while the elderly lady ended up with facial burns.
Florah Kiraithe, who was among the congregants on the top floor of the church, narrated how she heard screams from people who were outside the church urging those inside to escape.
Reports by The Standard revealed that the wooden church was engulfed in the fire so fast that the witnesses couldn't do anything to salvage the property inside.
"The incident took us by surprise. We saw flames on the roof, but we could not help put out the fire because it spread very fast," Kibaara Karambi narrated.
Kennedy Mutwiri stated that the incident left them shaken. He also added that they suspected the fire could have been caused by an electrical fault.
Those injured including the pastor were rushed to Chogoria Hospital.
