Dante's Hell: A fire, a year, that is Gikomba for you

NAIROBI, KENYA: Kenyans have woken up yet to another fire in one of the country’s largest open-air markets  claiming at least 15 lives and destroying property worth millions of shillings.

The Gikomba fireballs have become an annual occurrence. Here, a look at them between 2012 and 2018.

Gikomba burns on 10 June 2017. [File, Standard]

March 2012 : Fire reported in Gikomba Market.

 May 2014: Another fire strikes the market, stalls destroyed.

October 2014: The second inferno in a year.

May 2015:  Gikomba razed.

June 23, 2015:  Another fire.The inferno, which started at around 1am, leaves traders in tears. Nairobi police boss Benson Kibui says preliminary investigations indicate  that the fire was caused by arsonists.

 October 6, 2017: The Friday morning inferno destroys property worth millions of shillings and displaces many traders.

September 10, 2017: Another blaze: Traders say the fire is suspected to have started from one of the stores before spreading to others. 

The September 10, 2017 Gikomba fire. [File, Standard] 

June 26, 2018: At least 15 dead and 60 others rushed to Kenyatta National Hospital after a Thursday dawn fire at Gikomba Market in Nairobi. The blaze leaves many traders with losses after a section that deals in timber and second hand clothes near Kamkunji is gutted.