Firefighters Run For Their Lives After Arriving Late to Save Ksh 50M Property

Fire razes down Waka area in Nyeri County
Fire razes down Waka area in Nyeri County.
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Residents in Nyeri town are counting heavy losses after a fire razed down property estimated to be worth Ksh50 million in the Waka area on Monday morning, May 30. 

The fire started while a local chef was preparing mandazi early in the morning - and quickly spread to the neighbouring buildings. 

Firefighters from the Nyeri County Government were accused of taking too long and when they arrived, they sought to quickly leave the scene claiming they needed to get a water refill. 

Some of the firefighters were injured and forced to run for their lives after locals became infuriated by what they saw as gross incompetence. 

Fire razes down Waka area property in Nyeri County
Fire razes down Waka area property in Nyeri County.
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A statement by Nyeri County Fire and Rescue Services shared on Monday defended the response team - claiming they had done their best only for their safety to be threatened by angry goons. 

"We were called to help but the residents could not let us do the job..injuring our firemen claiming that the fire engine had no water after exhausting the full capacity of the vehicle and even calling for backup.

"A fire engine at no single minute can stay without water. But we cannot work where the public is hindering our safety. We had to retreat," read the statement in part.

In recent years, shanties, mostly built from iron sheets and timber, have been susceptible to fire outbreaks with slum areas as well as the Gikomba fire market among the most affected.

In every fire outbreak, traders lose millions in inventory value while residents are left homeless.

Firefighting agencies, especially those attached to county governments, have become notorious for their poor relations with the local communities who often complain about lack of preparedness and lateness in response to fire incidents. 

In February 2020, Nakuru residents chased away a county fire response vehicle after it arrived late at a fire incident. 

Five years earlier, Nakuru residents had burnt down the only fire engine vehicle in the county after it was deployed to put out bonfires lit by demonstrators who were protesting the safety concerns at Salgaa blackspot. 

Damaged property after fire razed down Waka area in Nyeri
The damaged property after fire razed down Waka area in Nyeri
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