Fire at Nairobi's Gikomba Market [PHOTOS & VIDEO]

Interior PS (Centre) pictured at Gikomba Market. June 25, 2020.
Interior PS (Centre) pictured at Gikomba Market. June 25, 2020.
Twitter

UPDATE: Interior PS Karanja Kibicho visited the site of the firer on Thursday afternoon and pledged that the government would compensate traders who lost goods in the fire.

He also announced that the government would launch formal investigations into the fires that seem to plague the market on a regular schedule

"As directed by the HE, President Uhuru Kenyatta, PS Kibicho PS Charles Hinga, Nairobi Metropolitan Services Director General Mohamed Badi and area MP Yussuf Hassan are hosting leaders from Gikomba Market at the ACC's office after assessing the damage caused by last night's fire incident. The Govt pledged to find a permanent solution to the problem," reads a statement sent out by the Interior Ministry.


A section of Gikomba Market on fire. June 25, 2020.
A section of Gikomba Market on fire. June 25, 2020.
Twitter

The fire destroyed an unknown number of structures at the cereals and 'mitumba' sections at Gikomba market opposite COTU offices in Nairobi early Thursday morning, June 25.

The inferno, which reportedly broke out at around 3 a.m., was still raging on at 6:30 a.m. with its source or point of origin yet to be established.

Traders battled the raging inferno throughout the wee hours of the morning in a bid to salvage some of their property, but it proved a futile exercise.

Nairobi County fire department arrived on the scene to contain the fire.

“The fire started from this side of COTU offices and spread towards the fish market. As it is we have lost everything. There are also houses that have been burnt but luckily no one was hurt. They all managed to escape,” one of the traders at the market revealed to the media.

Residents of Old Racecourse Estate, Kariokor, were plunged into darkness following the incident, with Kenya Power opting to shut down power lines in the area.

"The main line has been controlled due to a fire incidence in Gikomba. Power will be restored as soon as possible," Kenya Power tweeted.

Several such incidents have caused severe damage at the popular market over the years, sometimes leading to deaths.

It is the second time the market has been engulfed in flames this year, with a huge section of the stalls burning down to ashes on February 1.

Last year, the market saw three such incidents. In August 2019, property worth more than Ksh100 million was reduced to ashes at the market.

In June 2018, at least 15 people died while more than 60 were injured in a night fire at the same market.

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Scenes following the Gikomba Market fire. June 25, 2020.
Scenes following the Gikomba Market fire. June 25, 2020.
Twitter

 

Gikomba Market fire. June 25, 2020.
Gikomba Market fire. June 25, 2020.
Twitter
Scenes following the Gikomba Market fire. June 25, 2020.
Scenes following the Gikomba Market fire. June 25, 2020.
Twitter

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