Property of unknown value went up in smoke on Tuesday mid-morning when the fire affected close to 50 houses.
The Nairobi County government on Tuesday, October 22 revealed that an early probe into a fire that destroyed several houses in Mukuru kwa Reuben dug slightly deeper into the possible cause of the inferno.
According to Bramwell Simiyu, the County Chief Officer of Disaster and Risk Coordination, the investigations had indicated that the fire, initially suspected to be a gas explosion, might have been caused by an electrical fault.
Property of unknown value went up in smoke on Tuesday mid-morning when the fire affected close to 50 houses.
This fault resulted in gas cylinders located in some of the houses exploding after the fire had already begun, intensifying the flames that rapidly spread through the densely packed settlement.
Fire at Mukuru kwa Reuben on Tuesday, October 22, 2024. /THE STAR
“The Nairobi City County Government confirms a fire at Mukuru Kwa Reuben initially suspected to have been a gas fire, but a preliminary investigation indicates may be as a result of electrical fault. The gas cylinders located in some of the houses exploded thereafter. Approximately fifty (50) housing units affected,” Simiyu noted.
The Nairobi City Fire and Rescue Services contained the fire, with no casualties reported, despite some media reports mentioning that a child aged four years died during the blaze.
The disaster management officers were deployed to the site to carry out post-disaster needs assessments.
Mukuru kwa Reuben is no stranger to fires. One that broke out on Tuesday morning, September 24Â destroyed property of unknown value.
According to photos and a video clip seen by Viral Tea at the time, the houses were engulfed in the inferno that blazed brightly, with residents watching helplessly from a distance. Witness accounts revealed that the fire had broken out at 5 am.
Fire engines were deployed to put out the inferno, backed by the Kenya Red Cross and community volunteers. The cause of the fire was not immediately revealed.
Mukuru Kwa Reuben is an informal settlement located approximately 7 kilometres south of the Central Business District (CBD) of Nairobi City.
Another fire razed 100 houses at the Mukuru Kwa Njenga Estate near the Muhindi Mweusi area in Nairobi. However, the aftermath of the fire was devastating as three children from the same family were burned leaving the family in a state of mourning and despair.
A few days earlier, four people had died after an inferno razed down a house in Mukuru Viwandani. Confirming the incident, Mukuru Community Justice Center noted that four people had lost their lives as a result of fires within a week.
