Fire Breaks Out at Gikomba Market

Traders at the Gikomba market in Nairobi are counting heavy losses following a massive fire that left several stalls destroyed. 

In a statement on Sunday, June 21, the Kenya Red Cross said the fire broke out at around 4:00 AM. 

The humanitarian organization noted that the inferno caused significant damage to properties in the Gikomba market. 

“A major fire has been reported at Gikomba Market, affecting several business premises. The fire is believed to have started at around 4:00 a.m. and has caused significant damage, with response efforts ongoing,” read the statement in part. 

Kenya Red Cross also said a multi-agency response team has been deployed to the market to extinguish the fire. 

“The Kenya Red Cross, alongside a multi-agency response team, is on the ground supporting emergency response efforts and assessing the needs of those affected,” the statement added. 

Photos and videos of the incident seen by Nairobileo.co.ke showed towering flames and thick plumes of smoke billowing into the sky. 

By the time of this publication, the authorities had yet to reveal the cause of the inferno at Gikomba. 

The busy market has witnessed several fires in recent years, leaving hundreds of traders counting losses. 

On April 1, several businesses were destroyed following a devastating fire in a section of the market. 

The fire broke out around 4 am and rapidly spread through the market, engulfing shops and stalls that were stocked with goods ranging from clothes to foodstuffs.  

Traders who responded to the scene were left in shock and disbelief as they watched their livelihoods go up in smoke.

A witness, who is also a trader at the market, shared their harrowing experience of the devastating incident. 

“We received a call at around 4 am that there was a fire. When we arrived at the scene, we couldn’t save anything,” the business owner lamented.