Grief gripped Mathare B slums in Nairobi yesterday after a fire killed five residents, burnt four others, and displaced dozens of families.

The fire, which reportedly broke out around 2 am, spread through a section of the densely populated informal settlement, reducing structures to ashes and rendering several households homeless.

Among those killed were three adults and two children.

It took the intervention of fire engines from the military and the Nairobi Government to contain the raging inferno that gutted at least eight houses and razed two churches down.

“We understand the victims were sleeping when the fire broke out, killing five of them. Four others are in the hospital with serious injuries,” Nairobi police boss George Sedah said.

The fire is believed to have started in one of the iron sheet structures before quickly spreading to adjacent homes.

The injured were rushed to the Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) hospital for emergency treatment.

Sedah said five bodies were moved to the mortuary pending post-mortem and further investigations into the cause of the fire.

The incident adds to the growing list of fire tragedies in Nairobi’s informal settlements, where calls for the construction and expansion of access roads have long gone unanswered.

In Isiolo, a couple was arrested after a one-month-old baby died following a squabble at Mwangaza C area.

Ben Kiraithe, area manager Mwangaza C said he received a call from the neighbours at around

6 am who alerted him of the dead baby and how his parents fought through the night which led to his death.

“According to neighbours, we understand that the couple who were both drunk started fighting at 10:00 p.m. after the woman came home from a drinking spree. We don’t know exactly what happened to the child but suspect that during the fight, they could have fell on the child or slept on him causing harm,” said Kiraithe.

Kiraithe added that the young couple who were so intoxicated appeared to be around 25 years.

“Ï urge parents or couples to be cautious when dealing with issues at home and in case they are experiencing any challenge, let them reach out to the area manager or chief for assistance so that we can avoid such cases where innocent children are harmed,” he said.