Property of unknown value has been destroyed following a deadly fire that razed down buildings in Moi’s Bridge area, Uasin Gishu County.
Preliminary reports indicate that the inferno which razed several businesses and shops on Saturday, January 18, morning left behind a trail of destruction affecting traders at the town.
The cause of the early morning inferno is yet to be known but the blaze is suspected to have been caused by a gas explosion.
Witnesses at the scene said that Uasin Gishu and Trans Nzoia County fire engines were containing the situation.
Fire incident at Moi’s Bridge
Photos seen by The Kenya Times showed a huge fire razing down a section of the building from a distance while others showed some of the shops completely burnt.
Also Read: Fire Burns Down Section of University of Nairobi
Burnt gas cylinders were also seen at the scene. Some reports indicate that the fire originated from a gas depot and spread to other shops.
The fire reported at Moi’s Bridge is among recent incidents of infernos that have been reported in the country which have led to loss of property.
Earlier this week, a fire incident was reported at the University of Nairobi’s (UoN) main campus on the night of Wednesday.
The Kenya Red Cross confirmed the incident but mentioned that the cause of the fire was still unknown.
“A fire has been reported in a section of the University of Nairobi. Firefighters are at the scene. Efforts to put it out are underway,” Kenya Red Cross said in a statement.
Fire razes down section of UoN
Acting UON Deputy Vice Chancellor (DVC) Prof Francis Mulaa confirmed that the fire broke out at Taifa Hall causing huge damage to the building.
Also Read: Four Killed as Night Fire Burns Down Toi Market
Mulaa said the fire started in the kitchen of a restaurant within the structure before it spread out to other areas.
“We had a fire incident at the Mahatma Gandhi Wing specifically the Senior Common Room which then affected the Chancellors pallor which is adjacent. The fire was so intense and consumed the two structures,” Mulaa said.
“These are historical structures dating back to when the university was constructed. Most of the structures Is made of old timber and that constituted to the acceleration of the fire.”
Mula added that a new fire was detected by security at about 5am on January 16. He however said no injuries were reported but property of unknown value was burnt down.
The fire incident at Moi’s Bridge evokes the horrific images of February last year, when a gas explosion in the Embakasi area of Nairobi claimed six lives and injured nearly 300 others.
The incident, still under investigation, occurred when a truck loaded with Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) exploded. Houses, businesses, and cars were damaged, with videos showing a massive blaze raging near blocks of flats.
in a statement, the Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA) stated that the gas plant was operating illegally and that it had rejected three applications for permits to construct a storage and filling facility at the site.
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