Mukuru-Kwa Njenga slum fire leaves over 100 families homeless
More than 100 households in the Muindi Mweusi area of Nairobi's Mukuru-Kwa Njenga slum spent the night in the cold on Monday night after an inferno destroyed their homes.
Are Nyumba Kumi chairman Eric Ambuche said on Tuesday, August 6, that the fire started in a salon where a water heater was allegedly left plugged in unattended.
At the scene, gas cylinders exploded from houses, causing panic in the neighbourhood as sleeping residents woke up and scampered for safety.
One victim, Dr Milton Agusioma, who heads the Pentecostal Assemblies of God Church in the area, said the church's public address system and furniture were reduced to ashes during the incident.
Another victim, 28-year-old Gertrude Magoma, who runs a boutique, lost property worth more than Sh450,000.
Ms Lilian Obiro, who lost property worth more than Sh1 million,
said she was struggling to repay a bank loan she took last week to stock up her shop.
Locals blamed the Nairobi County government, saying the response of the city fire brigade was worrying.
Firefighters arrived at the scene two hours late and angry youths pelted the fire engines.
Locals who spoke to the Nation said Monday night's fire was the third incident reported from the same place in barely three years.
Some attributed the fire to a dispute over the land on which the structures stand.
Ten people, according to witnesses, were taken to the hospital by a Nairobi County ambulance.
Looters, who were posing as Good Samaritans, had a field day during the incident.
Moments later, the presence of armed police from the nearby Villa police station calmed the situation.
However, Embakasi police boss Wesley Kimeto said police had launched investigations to establish the cause of the fire.
