Two people have died and several others are nursing injuries after a fire tore through the Sinai area of Mukuru Kwa Reuben in Nairobi on Thursday morning, leaving more than 200 families homeless.
According to witnesses, the fire started in a single house before spreading quickly to others while most residents were still asleep.
Panicked locals tried to contain the flames but their efforts were in vain. By the time firefighters arrived, the blaze had already consumed dozens of homes.
However, residents now accuse the Nairobi County disaster team of negligence. They claim the fire truck arrived late and, shockingly, had no water.
“The firefighters came too late, then went back without fighting the fire because their vehicle had no water. That mistake made everything worse,” said one resident.
Families could be seen crying by the ruins of their homes, with some searching for missing loved ones and others salvaging what little remained. Parents narrated how they barely escaped with their children as the fire spread uncontrollably.
Residents also blamed the poor road network in Mukuru for slowing the response. “If the roads here were accessible, the fire could have been contained early before spreading this widely,” another eyewitness said.
Police have launched investigations to determine the cause of the fire, while the injured are receiving treatment in hospitals around Nairobi.
The Mukuru tragedy has reignited questions about Nairobi’s disaster preparedness and the county government’s ability to respond effectively to emergencies.
