A two-year-old child has been confirmed dead following a fire incident at Mukuru Kwa Reuben in Nairobi.
The mid-morning fire, which torched several houses, is said to have begun in one of the homes before spreading to the nearby mabati structures. Investigations into the cause of the fire have commenced.
According to the child’s father, the deceased was inside the house with his two siblings when the fire broke out.
“The older children managed to escape and called the police to report that the house was on fire,” said Alex Manzi, the father of the deceased.
“I was just coming home from work when I heard people shouting. I met a child who told me that my sister’s child was still inside the house. When I asked who was with him, the child said the mother had left him in a chair and gone to town,” added resident Moreen Ochieng.
Residents have lost property of unknown value in the incident, with some blaming illegal electricity connections and a gas explosion, even as investigations continue.
“I was washing clothes when I heard the fire and dropped everything to help put it out. A young man told us there was a child trapped inside,” said Denis Magare.
Residents have criticized the Nairobi County government for failing to provide fire engines with adequate water, which could have helped extinguish the fire more quickly.
“The government needs to help us; this situation has affected me greatly, and I don’t have a stable job,” lamented Manzi.
