Over 50 Families Left Homeless After Devastating Fire Sweeps Through Fuata Nyayo, South B
The displaced families, who witnessed their homes reduced to ashes and personal belongings destroyed, have been left with no option but to seek temporary shelter.
Residents suspect the fire was caused by a man who was drunk and allegedly lit a cigarette while in bed. Photo/courtesy.
By Ruth Sang
Over 50 families in the Fuata Nyayo area of South B, Nairobi, are counting heavy losses after a fierce fire razed their homes, leaving them stranded and in urgent need of assistance. The fire, which started early in the morning, spread fast through the congested settlement and reduced households to ashes within a few minutes.
Locals claimed the fire was possibly caused by a man said to have been drunk and, while in bed, lit a cigarette that probably led to the burning of the nearby structures. Many houses in Fuata Nyayo are made of timber and iron sheets that fueled the flames, thus contributing to the fast spread before responders arrived at the scene.
In the pandemonium that followed, many residents were injured trying to rescue as much of their belongings as possible from their burning houses. Eyewitness accounts spoke of families rushing out with mattresses, clothes, and basic household utensils, while other residents were unable to retrieve anything since the fire became too intense. Despite this effort, most residents watched helplessly as the flames consumed everything.
Emergency teams from the Nairobi County Disaster and Emergency Response Unit were quick to reach the scene after receiving distress calls. However, by the time firefighters had successfully subdued the inferno, a lot of damage had already been occasioned. Preliminary reports show that the dense setting of the settlement, coupled with inaccessible routes for fire engines, delayed response efforts, allowing the fire to spread without control for a longer period.
The displaced families, who witnessed their homes reduced to ashes and personal belongings destroyed, have been left with no option but to seek temporary shelter from neighbors, friends, and local institutions. Many spent the night outdoors, hoping for immediate help as they tried to come to terms with the sudden loss.
The affected residents have appealed to both the national and county governments to urgently support them with food, clothing, bedding, and reconstruction materials. Leaders within Fuata Nyayo constituency have called on the authorities to take immediate action to support the affected and take long-term measures to avert the tragedy in the future.
Local leaders and humanitarian organizations are likely to visit the area to see the extent of the damage, thereby determining the degree of their intervention. This incident has once again pointed out the vulnerability of informal settlements to outbreaks of fire, especially where the infrastructure is poor, overcrowding is at a high, and access for firefighters is limited. As investigations into the cause of the fire continue, residents are demanding increased awareness within the community concerning fire safety and stricter measures to minimize such avoidable disasters.
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