This archive report was first published on 15 October 2019.
On September 9, 2019, the county government launched vehicles worth Sh152 million, including a Sh47 million modern fire engine, at Molo Railway Grounds. The fire engine was meant to be stationed in Molo to address rampant incidents of fires in the town.
However, just a month after the launch, residents are questioning the whereabouts of the fire engine after a fierce fire on Monday gutted down at least five homes in Kasino Estate. The fire started at around 3 pm in one of the timber houses before spreading onto neighbouring homes.
Residents tried to fight the fire using buckets of water, but it was too fierce. A fire engine from Timsales factory in Elburgon eventually arrived and contained the fire, but not before the homes were destroyed.
Residents expressed their fury with the county government, saying they had been treated to a raw deal. They demanded answers on where their fire engine was and why it did not arrive in time to save the homes.
Nakuru Deputy Governor Erick Korir could not be reached for comment, but Molo MCA Michael Njoroge confirmed that the fire engine had been recalled back to the headquarters over some pending issues.
