This archive report was first published on 28 September 2019.
Families in Kibagare slums, Loresho, Westlands, Nairobi County, are counting their losses after a devastating fire gutted over 200 residential houses.
According to victims, the cause of the 8pm inferno on September 27, 2019 is still unknown.
Samuel Kameru, a victim, lost his academic certificates in a similar incident in November last year. He expressed his frustration, saying, “The first time an incident like this happened was in November last year and I lost all my academic certificates. Nothing was rescued. I cannot get a good job because I lack papers. It has now happened again I have to put on a brave face because there is nothing I can do,”
Sammy Njeri, another victim, lost his identity card and expensive work tools in the fire. He urged the government to provide assistance, saying, “This is the second time I will be forced to buy tools. Right now I do not even know what to do or where to start. I had spent a lot to purchase the tools, the loss is too much to bear,”
Shawn Francis, a youth representative, called on the government to educate the youth on disaster management skills to minimize losses. He said, “I would like to ask the government to educate the youth on how to deal with fire incidents and also how to curb them. Because cases of fire are not new in Kibagare anymore,”
Residents praised the emergency response, saying the fire marshals arrived shortly after the fire broke out. The fire brigade collaborated with the youths and put out the fire as residents watched from a distance in hope of seeing something they could rescue.
