32 families in Kyangombe, Kitengela were forced to spend the night in the cold after fire gutted down their houses.

In the 8 pm Thursday, September 12, 2024, inferno, the families who managed to escape unhurt did not salvage any household items.

Cause of fire

It was not immediately established what caused the fire, which started in one of the houses before quickly spreading to other mabati houses.

Kitengela town county administrator Bruce Likama says they received communication after the fire had already been put out.

“I received communication about the fire incident but as we were preparing our team to respond, we received another communication that the fire had already been put off,” Likama said.

Joyce Chelimo, a resident affected by the fire, also gave her account of the incident.

“I was preparing supper when I heard screams in my neighbour’s house. When I rushed outside, I found her outside while smoke was billowing from her house. Everyone’s focus was on evacuating their children, and shortly the fire was fierce and spread to other houses very fast.

“The houses are connected to electricity, and it was windy, making the fire spread faster. We did not manage to salvage any property, but luckily nobody was trapped inside or hurt in the confusion,” Joyce Chelimo narrated.

Losses

Devastated victims, who were left counting losses while pondering their next move, blamed the county government emergency unit for failure to respond.

The county firefighters did not turn up to put out the fire. Efforts by neighbours to put it out using water bore no fruit.

Surprisingly, the fire engine is stationed just two kilometres from the area of the incident.

“We made distress calls to the county fire emergency team, but they failed to turn up. They kept saying they were on their way until the houses were reduced to ashes since our effort to put it off using water cans did not bear fruit,” James Maranga, a victim, claimed.

Response

Affected families now appeal to county emergency teams to be responsive when such incidents occur to avert evitable losses and curb threats to human life.

“It is not the first time fire tragedies are left unattended. We have heard instances where the fire engine gets to the fire incident site but ends up not helping due to water scarcity, and sometimes unqualified personnel are unable to operate the engine,” George Ruswa, a resident, lamented.