Car owners and mechanics are counting losses after a fire destroyed several vehicles at a garage off Ole Dume Road in Kilimani, Nairobi, on Tuesday morning.
The blaze, which broke out during the night, took more than four hours to contain as emergency teams battled flames involving vehicles, petrol and other highly flammable materials stored at the garage.
Nairobi County emergency personnel, mechanics and members of the surrounding community participated in the response.
Fire Breaks Out at Garage Off Ole Dume Road
The fire affected a garage located along Muringa Road, off Ole Dume Road in Kilimani, with several vehicles inside the facility reportedly destroyed.
Nairobi County Chief Officer for Customer Engagement and Citizen Service Geoffrey Mosiria said the county received a distress call through its emergency response centre and immediately dispatched fire engines to the scene.
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Mosiria, who visited the site, said the fire was difficult to control because of the materials inside the garage.
In a statement, he described the incident as a particularly difficult night for mechanics and vehicle owners whose cars were at the facility when the fire started.
“The fire took more than four hours to contain because it involved vehicles, petrol, and many other highly flammable materials stored inside the garage. It was a very difficult and dangerous operation, but our teams worked tirelessly to bring the situation under control,” said Mosiria.
The county official said the operation involved coordination between disaster management officers, the local community and mechanics at the garage as firefighters worked to prevent the flames from spreading further.
Vehicles Destroyed as Firefighters Battle Blaze
The presence of petrol and other flammable materials made the firefighting operation more dangerous and prolonged.
Mosiria said the blaze took more than four hours to contain, with emergency teams working continuously before the situation was brought under control.
Earlier reports from the scene indicated that the garage had more than 200 mechanics and that a significant amount of property had been destroyed. Several customer vehicles were among the property affected, with the losses expected to run into millions of shillings.
The exact number of vehicles destroyed and their combined value had not been established at the time of the report.
The cause of the fire also remained unknown. Mosiria said experts would need to determine what caused the blaze after the emergency response was completed.
Firefighters remained at the scene after the main blaze was contained, to ensure any remaining flames or hotspots were fully extinguished.
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Mechanics and Owners Assess Extent of Losses
The incident has left mechanics and vehicle owners facing substantial losses, particularly those whose vehicles were undergoing repairs or maintenance at the garage.
Mosiria expressed sympathy to those affected, acknowledging that both mechanics operating at the facility and customers whose vehicles were inside had suffered losses.
He also commended Nairobi County disaster management officers for their response, as well as residents and mechanics who assisted emergency teams during the operation.
It involved cooperation between county disaster management personnel and people at the scene as efforts continued to contain the fire and protect nearby property.
The incident comes amid recurring concerns over fire risks in densely populated parts of Nairobi, where garages and other businesses may handle fuel, oils and other combustible materials.
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