A fire broke out Friday afternoon and was still raging at the time of this report, with the cause yet to be determined. Residents criticized emergency responders for a delayed reaction despite repeated calls for assistance.
In a TikTok livestream, a witness told CNN journalist Larry Madowo that it took emergency crews 40 minutes to reach the scene, despite the Kiambu County Fire Station being less than 1 km away. Videos reviewed by Wamuzi News showed towering flames and thick smoke as residents scrambled to save belongings, including gas cylinders, and protect nearby businesses like a mattress shop and butcher.
By the time firefighters arrived, much of the area was already destroyed, leaving little to salvage. Residents joined the fire brigade in controlling the remaining flames to prevent further spread.
Traffic on the service lane of the bypass was disrupted as crowds gathered to watch first responders at work. Authorities had not commented on the incident at the time of this report, and no injuries were reported.
Earlier that day, a separate fire broke out at the Kenya Society for the Protection & Care of Animals (KSPCA) center in Nairobi at around 3 a.m., where county responders managed to arrive swiftly and contain the blaze.
