Shock as father, 101, and son, 69, killed in Njoro house fire

Grief-stricken residents of Subuku village at the scene where Peter Chege, 69 and his father Robert Kinyanjui, 101 died in a house fire on March 4, 2022. [Kennedy Gachuhi, Standard]

A 69-year-old man and his father died following a house fire in Njoro, Nakuru County on Friday night.

Subuku residents were left in shock after the man set the house on fire, leaving him and his 101-year-old father dead. Njoro sub-County Police Commander Isaac Odumbe said Peter Chege started the fire at around 9pm.

“There were three people in the house at the time of the incident. Chege threatened his son Francis Mwangi with an axe, forcing him to flee. Chege and his father, Robert Kinyanjui, died in the fire,” said Odumbe.

The police boss said the fire spread fast, hindering efforts to save the two. Their bodies were taken to Egerton University mortuary.

Mwangi, 36, said his father had moved back to their grandfather’s house 10 years ago after separating with his wife who lives in Kitale.

He said his father was having on-and-off bouts of anger over unknown issues. Earlier that day, Chege had warned that he would set the house on fire.