Two people on Sunday morning, July 11, died after a fire broke out burning down houses in the Mukuru Fuata slum in Nairobi.
The fire incident which also left one person nursing serious burn injuries has been confirmed by Makadara Police boss Timon Odingo.
According to Timon, the fire has left some 131 families homeless.
The fire is suspected to have been caused by a candle that was left in one of the houses burning which triggered the fire.
The police have also opened an investigation it might have been caused by faulty electricity lines illegally connected in the houses.
"Although there was no electricity in the said slum, KPLC will investigate further to determine whether there were people connecting power illegally during the incident since a transformer serving the slum was earlier unmounted by KPLC officials," Odingo told Nation.
Those who perished in the inferno have been positively identified as Melvin Anyona who was aged seven and James Atambo, aged 40.
The slum’s security chairman, Moses Mavesi, stated that the fire started around 12.30 am an Sunday.
“The fire started at the house of the late Mr Atambo who lived with another man who escaped death by a whisker. The deceased collapsed after smoke engulfed him as his body was burnt by flames. His colleague managed to jump into the Ngong River and fortunately did not get hurt,” Mavesi also told the Nation.
Mavesi called on the National government to build better access roads in the slum area especially Mukuru.
This is after firefighters had a difficult time accessing the area before they finally extinguished the fire.
The families who have been left in the cold on the other hand have appealed to well-wishers to help them start afresh as their properties were razed down beyond recognition.
