This archive report was first published on 6 July 2021.
Published on July 6, 2021, a fire broke out in Kongowea market, Mombasa County, leaving hundreds of traders counting losses.
Video footage captured the devastating scene as a huge inferno consumed a wide section of the market, with area residents and some traders watching helplessly.
Although the exact time of the fire's outbreak is unclear, reports emerged on social media minutes past Tuesday midnight.
As of the time of going to press, no official statement had been issued to confirm the cause of the fire, the number of traders affected, or the value of properties destroyed.
This is not the first time the market has experienced a fire outbreak, with previous incidents occurring in January 2020 and September 2017.
During the January 2020 fire, several traders lost their fortunes after a blaze ripped through several stalls and kiosks, destroying the second-hand clothes section and several food kiosks.
Mombasa Governor Ali Hassan Joho termed the incident as unfortunate and promised to compensate the traders who lost their fortunes, but the cause of the fire remains a mystery to date.
