Tragedy as over 500 are left homeless after fire razed Kasilili Village in Kamukunji

A fire broke out early Wednesday morning in Kasilili village, Airbase ward, Kamukunji Constituency, destroying property worth millions of shillings and displacing over 500 residents.

The fire, which started before dawn, quickly spread through the village, reducing several homes to ashes and leaving hundreds without shelter or basic necessities.

By morning, dozens of families, including mothers and children, were seen sitting on the roadside with the little they managed to salvage. Most appeared confused, unsure of where to go or how to begin rebuilding their lives.

According to residents, the fire began at a container situated near their homes. Eyewitnesses said unknown individuals had placed tires under the container and set them on fire. The flames from the burning tires quickly engulfed the container and spread to the nearby houses.

Paul Muthike Mwanzolo, the chairman of the tenants in the area, said that they initially tried to contain the fire using water but were unable to manage the fast-spreading flames. He said the fire engines arrived at the site but faced difficulties accessing the scene.

Mwanzolo explained that firefighters were denied access through a large gate of a nearby garage, which would have provided the most direct and convenient entry point to fight the fire. Instead, they were forced to use a much smaller entrance, which delayed their response and made it harder to control the blaze.

“There are tires that were set on fire, which eventually caused this. We do not know the people who did it,” Mwanzolo said.

One of the victims, Eshaa Robina, lost everything in the fire. She was in tears as she described her situation. Robina said she has nowhere to go, no food, and nothing left but the clothes she was wearing.

She recalled being asleep when a neighbour knocked on her door to alert her about the fire. She tried to save her belongings, but the fire had already reached her house, and it was too late.

“I have nothing left. I am the way I am. The firefighters could have helped, but I think they were late,” she said amid sobs.

Another affected resident, Mary Syombua, sat by the roadside on a mattress with her children. She said she lost all her belongings, including her children’s school uniforms and books.

She expressed concern over the future of her children, who were unable to attend school following the incident.

“I salvaged nothing. I am sitting here helpless. My children have not gone to school because we lost everything in the fire,” she said.

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• Tragedy as over 500 are left homeless after fire razed Kasilili Village in Kamukunji
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Kelly Keva Kitonga, another tenant, said he was alerted by a neighbour around 1 am.

He heard a knock on his door and was told that part of his house was on fire. When he went outside, he saw the container next to his house in flames. He went back inside to change clothes, and when he returned, several people were already trying to extinguish the fire with water.

“The fire was so huge. We tried to put it out while others called the fire brigade,” Kitonga said.

The residents now face an uncertain future as they wait for assistance. Many are calling on authorities to investigate the cause of the fire and provide support to the affected families.

In the meantime, residents of Kasilili village continue to wait by the roadside, uncertain of what the coming days will bring, hoping for shelter, food, and assistance to begin rebuilding their lives.