Traders at Toi Market in Kibra, Nairobi, are counting heavy losses after a devastating fire swept through sections of the market.
Therefore, destroying dozens of stalls and merchandise in the early hours of the morning.
The blaze, which reportedly broke out before dawn, quickly spread across the densely packed trading area, leaving many traders with nothing but ashes where their businesses once stood.
Witnesses say the fire spread rapidly due to the close proximity of stalls and the presence of highly flammable materials commonly used in the market, including clothing, plastics, and wooden structures.
Firefighters from the Nairobi County Fire Department responded to the incident and managed to contain the flames after several hours of intense efforts.
Despite the response, traders say the damage was already extensive by the time the fire was brought under control.
Many of the affected traders had stocked large quantities of goods in preparation for the busy trading days ahead.
The fire destroyed clothes, shoes, household items, and other merchandise worth thousands if not millions of shillings.
“I arrived in the morning and found everything gone,” said one trader who lost her entire stall in the blaze. “
This business is my only source of income. Now I don’t know where to start.”
Toi Market is one of Nairobi’s busiest informal markets, serving thousands of shoppers daily and supporting hundreds of small-scale traders who rely on the market for their livelihoods.
Fires have unfortunately become a recurring challenge in many of the city’s informal markets, where electrical connections, temporary structures, and limited fire safety infrastructure increase vulnerability to such disasters.
Several traders have called on the county government and national authorities to intervene and support those affected.
They are appealing for assistance to rebuild the stalls and recover from the losses suffered during the fire.
“We invest everything in these stalls,” another trader lamented. “When fire strikes, we lose years of hard work overnight.”
Authorities have launched investigations to determine the cause of the fire, although traders suspect electrical faults may have played a role.
Nairobi County officials have urged traders to remain calm as assessments of the damage continue.
As the smoke clears at Toi Market, the focus now turns to recovery. For many traders who lost their businesses in the blaze, the path forward will depend on support from authorities, community solidarity, and the resilience that has long defined Kenya’s informal trading sector.
