Editor's Review

Several houses were destroyed on Wednesday night after a fire erupted in Kibera's Mashimoni area. 

A fire on Wednesday, September 3, erupted at the Mashimoni area in Nairobi’s Kibera Estate, leaving several residents homeless.  

The inferno, which broke out at around 7:30 P.M., was reportedly caused by an electrical fault.

The Kenya Red Cross Community-Based Disaster Response Team (CBDRT) was deployed to the scene to extinguish the fire.

“Fire Reported in the Mashimoni area in Kibera. Nairobi City Fire En route, Our Community Based Disaster Response Team (CBDRT)at the scene, working alongside the community members to extinguish the fire,” Kenya Red Cross stated.

In an update, the Kenya Red Cross said the blaze was successfully contained by the Nairobi County Fire Department with the support of community members.

File image of a fire incident in Kibera, Nairobi County. 

The fire consumed 23 households, with three individuals sustaining minor injuries. All were treated at the scene.

“A total of 23 households were affected, and three individuals sustained minor injuries, all of whom received treatment at the scene. The Kenya Red Cross Nairobi Branch will conduct a needs assessment tomorrow,” Kenya Red Cross said.

This comes weeks after a fire erupted at Johnsaga next to Jumia Hospital in Huruma, Nairobi County.

Preliminary investigations revealed that the fire was triggered by a gas explosion, which spread rapidly through the Johnsaga area.

Emergency response teams and firefighters were deployed to the scene to help extinguish the fire.

“A fire incident has been reported at Johnsaga next to Jumia Hospital in Huruma, Nairobi County. Response teams are at the scene, working alongside community members to contain the fire,” Kenya Red Cross stated.

On May 19, at least five people were killed following a fire incident in Mathare B slums.

Police Commander George Sedah explained that the fire started from one of the iron sheet structures before it spread to the others.

The victims, who include three adults and two children, were sleeping when the deadly fire broke out.

The blaze flattened at least eight iron sheet homes and two churches, leaving several families without shelter.