This archive report was first published on 13 January 2020.
On a fateful Monday morning, a tragic incident shook the quiet Bukhulunya area in the outskirts of Kakamega town. A mentally ill woman, identified only as Refah, lost her life in a devastating fire that engulfed her makeshift hut.
According to eyewitnesses, the fire started when a candle lit the old car tyres and plastic bags that were inside the hut. The flames quickly spread, trapping Refah inside.
Joseph Indimuli, a student and neighbour to the deceased, recounted the harrowing moment he discovered the fire. 'It was around 5 am when I was going to school that I heard screams from the hut and when I checked, I saw smoke spiralling from it. I ran back home and informed my mother who woke up the neighbours and started putting out the fire with buckets of water,' he narrated.
Refah lived alone in the hut, which she had barricaded by placing bricks behind the door. The incident has left the community in shock, and the authorities are still investigating the cause of the fire.
Kakamega County Police Commander, Patrick Wambani, confirmed that investigations are underway. The body has been moved to the Kakamega County Referral Hospital mortuary.
Published on January 13, 2020 by MPASHO.
