I woke up millionaire, will sleep pauper - Machakos fire victim

Mitamboni shop director Mathembo Musyoka has said she woke up a millionaire but will go to bed pauper.

Musyoka is one of the over 500 traders who lost their property worth millions to the inferno at Grogon market in Machakos County on Monday, June 6th.

She said all her lifelong investments had been lost to the fire which according to multiple sources started minutes past 1.00 pm.

Musyoka said she has been doing business in the market since 2003. The fire gutted structures for more than eight hours.

Some structures were still being razed by press time.

"All my wares have been razed. I sold furniture and also ran hardware. I have been left with nothing. Woke up a millionaire but will sleep pauper," Musyoka said.

Musyoka addressed the press at the scene on Monday at 8.00pm.

She said she had pending bank loans which she was servicing.

"I have children in school. I called the fire brigade in time but I was told there was no water, fuel or driver to the fire engine," Musyoka said.

"I saw fire three metres before it spread to my premises only for it to consume all my property."

Masaku Juakali Association chairman Mumo Kilonzo said he witnessed when the fire broke out at around 1.00 pm.

Kilonzo said the fire was caused by an electric fault.

He said it then spread faster since there were lots of mattresses that fueled it.

According to Kalonzo, over 500 traders dealing in hardware, furniture shops and showrooms, welding joints, and general merchants, among others were affected.

Former State House chief of staff and Machakos gubernatorial aspirant Nzioka Waita visited the scene and consoled victims.

Waita blamed the losses on the poor response by Machakos County Government's disaster management team.

"We are sorry for all the traders who have been affected by the inferno. The poor response of the County administration has to be blamed. I, however, thank the fire brigade for risking their lives to contain the fire," Waita said.

Waita said it was unfortunate for the firefighters to work without proper equipment.

"NO water, disaster equipment. Machakos isn't a village to have only one standby fire engine," Waita said.

Waita said together with her running mate who is also the Machakos Speaker Florence Mwangangi They will support the affected traders.

He said he called the KDF who responded to the incident from Nairobi but found an engine from the Mavoko subcounty had contained it.

Waita said the two engines belonging to KDF were on standby.

Several victims will spend the night in the cold with others keeping guard of their salvaged property.

Machakos subcounty police commander Moss Nthiwa helped manage the crowd that thronged the scene to helpless witness as the fire gatterd structures razing property worth millions.

Police secured the area as they helped protect the property which was left along the Machakos roads in open.

During the incident, several people were beaten by the mob as they tried to loot salvaged property.

There were no reported fatalities.

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