The estimated 4.3 million residents of Nairobi are staring at fire disasters following the grounding of the bulk of the county government’s fire engines.

Out of 31 fire engines and water tankers, 26 have been grounded due to delays in procuring spare parts, leaving the city with just five operational vehicles to respond to emergencies across all 17 sub-counties.

County Chief Officer for Disaster Management, Bramwell Simiyu, revealed that over 20 fire engines and tankers are currently grounded at the county’s central garage, awaiting repairs.

“We have 26 vehicles grounded for issues as simple as tyres and brake parts. We’ve discussed this matter and pushed for action. As we speak, only five operational fire engines are covering the entire city,” Simiyu said.

Painting a grim picture, Simiyu disclosed that of the five vehicles in operation, only two are fully functioning fire engines, while the other three are water tankers. This shortage has come at a time when the city has seen increased fire incidents, particularly in informal settlements.

Governor Johnson Sakaja’s administration is now grappling with the challenge of safeguarding the city’s residents, especially in vulnerable areas like Kibera, Mathare, and Kawangware, where fire incidents have become alarmingly frequent.

A report released on September 30, revealed that 21 people had lost their lives in 130 fire incidents recorded between August 3 and September 21.

Furthermore, the Clarence Munga-led committee was informed that five more engines, in good condition but needing minor repairs, remained at the garage despite orders from Sakaja for their release.

“We are working with the mobility sector to address the repair issues so that we can get more than 20 grounded vehicles back in operation,” Simiyu stated.

The situation is exacerbated by two fire engines grounded following accidents, which are still held by insurance companies.

In addition to equipment challenges, firefighting teams face hostility from residents in some low-income areas, such as Kawangware, Korogocho, and parts of Mathare, where crews are occasionally attacked for arriving late to fire scenes. “There are some low-income settlements where gangs interfere with our work, especially in Kawangware, Korogocho, and parts of Mathare. Some members of the public seem uninterested in seeing the fires extinguished,” Simiyu explained.