One person has died while over 30 traders lost their property worth millions of shillings during a fire incident in Mlolongo, Machakos County.
Athi River East subcounty police commander Anderson Mbae said the unidentified body, burnt beyond recognition, was collected from the scene on Monday morning.
Mbae said the scene was processed by the scene of crime officers and the body was removed to the City mortuary awaiting postmortem and identification.
He said the fire reportedly broke out at around 1.00 am Monday.
The razed mabati structures were located along the old Mombasa road in Mlolongo town.
The matter was reported to the Mlolongo police station as a fire incident report.
Mbae said the cause of the fire was not immediately established.
“On 16th December 2024 at about 1.00 am, police officers on night patrol duties observed a large cloud of smoke emanating from a section of iron sheets structures. Shortly thereafter, a significant fire broke out rapidly spreading to adjacent business premises,” Mbae told the Star on Monday.
Mbae said efforts to contain the fire were immediately initiated with assistance from the Machakos County Government’s fire brigade which managed to contain it.
“Several business premises were, however, destroyed in the incident,” Mbae said.
He said investigations into the cause of the fire were underway as police continued to process the scene.
Anthony Wahema said his furniture showroom and carpenter business was reduced to ashes by the fire.
He said, though he hadn’t established the value of his burnt property, it was running into millions of shillings.
“I was called from my house at night that my business premises were on fire. I came and found it was already burnt to ashes in its entirety,” Wahema said.
Wahema said the incident had rendered all his 22 workers jobless.
He said he established the business at the razed premises in 2006.
Mlolongo chief Peter Ndunda said he received a phone call that the fire had broken out at 1.19 am Monday.
“I called the fire brigade to the scene immediately I received the phone call,” Ndunda said.
Margaret Karanja said she was also called at around 1.00 am Monday that her boutique located at burnt premises was on fire.
The mother of four who deals in clothes and curtains said she lost property worth approximately Sh350,000 to the fire.
“We call on the government to help us, we are left with nothing. We have children and schools are reopening next month,” Karanja said.
She said they depended on the businesses for livelihoods including school fees for their children.
She said she was servicing a Sh50,000 loan from a local bank.
Mavoko subcounty administrator Isaac Mutula said the devolved unit will support the affected traders get back on their feet.
He, however, told residents to take matters of safety seriously to avoid the recurrence of such tragedies.
“Residents shouldn’t encroach access roads thereby blocking emergency services like fire engines and ambulances during such incidents. Our first fire engine responded in 17 minutes but had difficulty accessing the scene,” Mutula said.
“Our second fire engine responded in 22 minutes and attacked the fire from the back of the burning structures. We were all at the scene during the night operations.”
Mutula encouraged residents to live in harmony, love one another and support each other during good and bad times.
“Mlolongo is our town, city and home. Let’s all live in peace and with love,” Mutula said.
by GEORGE OWITI
