Two Children Burnt to Death in Inferno

An image of fire
Residents of Blue Estate in Nairobi trying to put out a fire on Tuesday 13 October 2020.
Dominic Mwangi

An inferno on Monday, December 14, left two children dead in Majengo estate, Nanyuki with the fire destroying several houses.

The inferno which broke out in the afternoon found most of the tenants away from their home with the kids not able to rescue themselves from the fire.

The two children were aged between one and a half and four years with the fire spreading fast due to the houses being closely packed.

Fire at Marikiti Market in Nairobi
Fire at Marikiti Market in Nairobi on August 7, 2020.
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The slum which comprises of semi-permanent shelters also accelerated the spread of the fire due to the timber supporting the structures.

The Laikipia County Fire engine struggled to put out the fire as there was no enough water and responded late to the alarm raised.

One of the neighbours revealed that residents struggled to put the fire with water being a challenge in the slum and the fire spreading fast.

The residents complained about the fire department as they took time to strategize before commencing efforts to put off the fire and subsequently ran out of water.

The lives of the two children would have been saved if the fire engine responded on time and had sufficient water, according to the residents.

The residents appealed to leaders in the county to assist the affected families after nothing was rescued in the inferno.

Joyce Wangui, a resident noted that most parents are casual labourers and will need somewhere to live before they regain their footing.

The fire department was also urged to beef up its services after responding late and running out of water during the operation.

A firetruck on fire in Kakamega on August 15, 2020.
A firetruck on fire in Kakamega on August 15, 2020.
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