In Summary
- Five people (three adults, two children) died in a fire in Mathare Kosovo at 12:30 am today.
- Four others are critically injured and receiving treatment at Blue House MSF Hospital.
- The blaze destroyed homes and two churches, displacing over a dozen families.
A devastating fire broke out at around 12:30 am today in the Mathare Kosovo area, claiming the lives of five people and leaving dozens of families homeless.
According to witnesses who spoke to Ghetto Radio News, the fire is believed to have started in one of the iron sheet structures before rapidly spreading to neighboring homes and two churches, both of which have been reduced to ashes.
The deceased include three adults and two children.
Emergency response teams arrived at the scene, but the blaze had already consumed a significant section of the slum.
Several residents were injured while trying to escape the fire or rescue their loved ones.
” Niko na uchungu kwa sababu sister ya mama yangu amekufia hapa. Tungeomba serikali itusaidie sisi wenye tumefiwa, watuangalie na waangalie kijiji yetu,” Jackline Anyango expressed her pain, as the fire also claimed the lives of her two younger sisters.
Four individuals with serious injuries are currently receiving treatment at the Blue House MSF hospital, while the remaining bodies have been transferred to the City Mortuary for identification and further procedures.
The fire has not only caused tragic loss of life but also left over a dozen families without shelter.
Many residents are now seeking temporary refuge with neighbors or in nearby facilities as local authorities and humanitarian organizations begin to assess the damage and coordinate aid efforts.
The cause of the fire is still under investigation, but early reports suggest that the tightly packed iron sheet homes, common in informal settlements like Mathare, contributed to the rapid spread of the flames.
Community leaders are calling for urgent support for the affected families and renewed discussions on improving safety in slum areas.
By Judith Kanaitha.
