A night fire in Mukuru Kwa Njenga on Sunday, July 23, razed at least 200 households, leaving families in the informal settlement stranded.
The Kenya Red Cross responding to the incident said preliminary assessments have not established the cause of the fire which started at around 8:00PM.
Nairobi County Fire Department responded, putting out the fire to prevent it from spreading in the congested informal settlement.
The Kenya Red Cross said that no life was lost in the night incident. An official noted the response was swift and the fire was able to be contained before it could cause untold damage.
“The fire was contained by the County Fire Brigade with the help of RCAT and the National Police Service,” a statement from Kenya Red Cross read in part.
The Kenya Red Cross stated that community members and other organisations operating in the area aided in the operation.
Casualties from the fire were rushed to Riverside Dispensary where they were treated for minor burns.
“For the first time, we have witnessed a timely response from Nairobi County on a fire outbreak. Congratulations to the fire and disaster management team,” Kaviti Stellah stated.
Kenya Red Cross has stated that its Nairobi team was conducting a needs assessment for any possible support.
The area has been frequented by fires. In November 2022, a fire broke out in the same region leaving a 40-year-old mother and her son dead.
At the time, police officers established that the fire was caused by a faulty cooking gas cylinder.
In March 2023, a two-year-old girl lost her life after a fire broke out in the same area. Over 40 houses were also burnt to the ground during the tragedy.
