Shock as three children die in a night fire in Kakamega
House where three minors burnt to death in a house fire in Shikondi village, Ikolomani, Kakamega County while their mother is fighting for her life in the ICU at Kakamega County Referral Hospital.
What you need to know:
- The Wednesday night incident at Shikondi village in Ikolomani, claimed the lives of three children while their mother, Jane Mutamba was admitted with serious injuries.
- Cause of fire still unknown.
Shock and grief have engulfed a village in Kakamega County after four members of a family were burnt in a midnight fire as they slept.
The Wednesday night incident at Shikondi village in Ikolomani, claimed the lives of three children while their mother, Jane Mutamba, 35, escaped with serious injuries and is currently fighting for her life at the Kakamega County General Hospital.
Property of unknown value was also destroyed in the inferno.
According to a neighbour, Getray Ayuma, the fire is suspected to have been caused by a candle.
“It was around 1 am when I heard noise from my immediate neighbour’s house. At first, I thought they had been attacked by thieves, but when I got up, the house was full of smoke.
She said efforts by neighbours to access the house were futile since the door was locked with a padlock from the inside.
“We decided to break part of the wall and that is how we managed to rescue my friend, Mutamba. All the three children were unconscious. They were all rushed to the hospital where the three minors were pronounced dead,” she explained.
Ms Mutamba is a lecturer at Sigalagala National Polytechnic and was in the house with her 10-year-old son, a Grade Two pupil at the Hill School in Kakamega town, her nephew Trovinny Pestat, 15, a Grade Seven student at Shikhondi Junior School and Nipher Nekesa, a family guest who had spent the night in the house on her way to Kisumu.
Police in Ikolomani are already investigating the cause of the fire which is yet to be established.
Confirming the incident, Ikolomani sub-county police commander Benjamin Wambua said detectives are waiting for the woman to stabilise so that she can provide more information regarding the fire.
“Some people say a candle fell on a mattress and escalated the fire but this is subject to confirmation,” said Mr Wambua.
Mr Bilcam Itayi, father of one of the victims, Trovinny Pestat said his daughter had lived with her aunt since January when she joined the Junior School at Shikhondi.
“She was my fourth born out of 11 children. She was a bright and jovial girl with a promising future and I am yet to come to terms that my daughter is no more because, in her, I was seeing a bright future for my family,” mourned Mr Itayi.
The victims’ remains were taken to Kakamega County General Hospital mortuary.
