Several houses were destroyed at Mukuru Kwa Reuben in Nairobi following a fire breakout on Tuesday, October 22.
According to an eyewitness in a video seen by Nairobileo.co.ke, the fire broke out following a gas explosion.
In the video, the fire could be seen spreading to other houses, with a section of residents trying to put it out with small buckets of water.
"We need firefighters, houses are burning down one by one; we don't have water, it was disconnected, and as you can see the fire is spreading to the second house. We need fire brigades," the eyewitness could be heard saying.
Speaking to Nairobileo.co.ke, one of the reporters at the scene disclosed that locals had a difficult time finding water to put out the fire.
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Nairobi County also confirmed the incident saying that 50 houses were torched.
"The Nairobi City County Government confirms a fire at Mukuru Kwa Reuben initially suspected to have been a gas fire, but a preliminary investigation indicates may be as a result of electrical fault. The gas cylinders located in some of the houses exploded thereafter. Approximately fifty housing units were affected," a statement by Bramwell Simiyu, a Niarobi County official, read in part.
This comes barely a month after another fire broke out at Mukuru Kwa Reuben, razing down several houses as members of the public watched from a distance.
In an update, Mukuru Community Justice Centre said fire engines were on site to aid in putting out the fire incident that occurred on September 24, 2024.
"There is a fire incident at the transformer area, Mukuru Kwa Ruben. Fire engines are on site. Kenya Red Cross and community volunteers trying their best to put out the fire," read a statement by Mukuru Community Justice Centre.
Fires are frequent in informal settlements due to overcrowding and poor sanitation, with negligence, arson, and faulty electrical installations cited as common causes.
A past report by Tushinde Children's Trust indicated that 892 families were victims of mysterious fires recorded from January 2021 to May 18, 2022, in Nairobi County.
