250 tourist villas burnt down in Malindi

By Paul Gitau

Over 200 private villas worth billions of shillings were destroyed in Malindi following a fierce fire on Sunday.

Although no one was injured, nothing was salvaged during the 1.30 pm inferno that also gutted down more than 50 luxury vehicles at the Oasis area of Malindi town, 120 kilometers north east of Mombasa.

Malindi Officer Commanding Police Division (OCPD) Peter Kattam said the fire started at Lion Villas and quickly spread to the luxurious Palm Tree Hotel and Kibokoni villas.

The General Manager of Palm Tree Club Hotel Lydia Filini with police officers in Malindi. Photo: Paul Gitau /Standard

Similar fires have in recent months swept through hotels and villas in Watatu, Malindi and Mambrui with no solution in sight.

This year alone, fires have broken out at Watatu Beach Hotel, La Papaya Hotel, Kivulini Hotel in Malindi and Karibuni villas in Mambrui.

Left homeless

Meanwhile, two people were injured and more than 300 left homeless in a fire incident in Mukuru slums in Nairobi.

The fire was started in one of the structures before spreading to others, witnesses said.

Police said the scores were injured as they fought to contain the inferno that reduced more than 70 structures to ashes.

Embakasi OCPD Rono Bunei said the fire that broke out in the morning started in one house and spread fast to others.

It took firefighters over an hour to contain the fire. Those injured were immediately rushed to hospital as the other villagers fought to contain the raging inferno.

Locals said poor access contributed to the delay by the fire brigade in accessing the houses to stop the inferno from spreading.

—Additional reporting by Cyrus Ombati