Dozens left homeless as fire razes down Langata slum

Photo: Standard

Dozens of people were Sunday night left homeless when a huge fire razed down a huge part of a slum in Langata area, Nairobi.

There are fears of casualties as the fire raged to the night as engines that rushed there stayed far away from the burning structures for long without access.

Photo: Standard

The fire is said to have started from one of the affected structures at Kijiji area opposite Southlands before spreading fast to other areas.

Police said they could not tell if there were casualties of the fire that broke out at about 9 pm.

Photo: Standard

Huge flames of the fire emanated from the area as it spread fast. Firefighters said they had difficulties accessing the site of the fire.

“The engines cannot get in and the fighters are here making calls. There is no road there,” said Jack Okinyi, a resident at Southlands.

Photo: Standard

He added that the fire spread fast due to heavy winds and presence of cooking gas that exploded in intervals as locals fought it with bare hands and other crude weapons.

By the time of going to the press at 10.30 pm no engine had accessed the place. More engines rushed there to help out of online outcry.

Nearby estates Onyonka and Southlands were under threat and some residents rushed to their houses to pick valuables in case they were affected.

Photo: Standard

Langata OCPD Elijah Mwangi said they were yet to know the cause of the fire.

“We don’t know what caused it. Investigators will have to tell us,” he said.