Police arrest woman after family members killed in Murang’a fire
By Wangari.Njuguna, April 11, 2022
Police in Murang’a is investigating an incident in which six family members in Kandara died in a fire in the wee hours of yesterday morning.
Margaret Wambui, 60, her three daughters and two grandchildren were burned beyond recognition when the fire gutted down the house in which they were sleeping.
Those who perished with Wambui were identified as Cecilia Gathoni 30, Lucy Mumbi, 18, Margaret Wanja, 15 and two grandchildren, Jackline Wambui, 7, and Alvin Kiarie, 3.
Neighbours said they heard screams coming from the house at around 1:30 am and rushed to the scene and found smoke billowing from the house while the door had been locked from outside.
Efforts to rescue them were futile as the flames became fierce and overwhelmed them.
Angry mob
A neighbour, Margret Njoki said she heard screams a few minutes after 1 pm but when they got out they found the house already engulfed in a huge fire.
“We could not save anything by then, since the house was almost consumed by fire and it is unfortunate we lost the aged mother, together with her children and grandchildren,” she said.
Stepsister
But the residents were curious about how one family member, Alice Nyambura, managed to escape from the burning house with her belongings.
“We found Wambui’s step-sister outside the house and she had her items with her but she could not explain how she managed to escape and why she had made no efforts to save the others,” one of the witnesses said.
An angry mob threatened to lynch her but she was whisked to safety by police officers who had arrived at the scene.
There are claims that the family had a long-running land dispute.
Murang’a County police commander Ali Nuno said the relative who is in custody will aid officers with the investigations.
He said the case appears to be arson, adding that those who will be found culpable will face the full force of the law.
“We will not make any conclusions for now until we get a comprehensive report from the investigators,” he said.