Tragedy Strikes Kawangware as Four-Storey Building Engulfed in Deadly Blaze
Eyewitnesses described harrowing scenes as residents screamed for help, with some unable to escape due to the building’s design and the intensity of the flames.
Deadly fire engulfs four-storey building in Kawangware, leaving several injured and many homeless. Photo/Kenya Times.
By Edmond Khaemba
A devastating fire broke out early Saturday morning at a four-storey building in Kawangware Stage 2, Nairobi, leaving several residents injured and many others homeless.
The inferno, which reportedly began around 11 PM on Friday, June 14, rapidly consumed the structure, trapping occupants inside and causing widespread panic among the community.
Eyewitnesses described harrowing scenes as residents screamed for help, with some unable to escape due to the building’s design and the intensity of the flames.
One resident recounted, “We saw the fire brigade trying to get in but they couldn’t pass; the road is just too tight.” Access to the area was severely hindered by narrow, impassable routes, complicating efforts by emergency services to reach the scene promptly.
The fire spread swiftly through homes, shops, and kiosks, filling the sky with thick black smoke. Despite the best efforts of local residents and emergency responders, the blaze left a trail of destruction in its wake.
The Kenya Red Cross reported that at least eight individuals sustained serious injuries and were rushed to nearby hospitals for treatment. Approximately 160 homes were destroyed, displacing hundreds of residents.Preliminary investigations suggest that the fire may have been caused by an electrical fault, a common hazard in densely populated informal settlements like Kawangware.
However, authorities have yet to confirm the exact cause, and investigations are ongoing .This tragedy underscores the urgent need for improved fire safety measures in Nairobi’s informal settlements.
Residents and local leaders are calling for better infrastructure, including wider access roads and more reliable emergency services, to prevent such devastating incidents in the future.
As the community begins the process of recovery, efforts are underway to provide temporary shelter and support to those affected by the fire.
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