PROPERTY of unknown value was yesterday destroyed by fire in Mumias town.The cause of the 9pm inferno was not immediately known, but business owners blamed the Kenya Power Company.
They said the power outages that the town has been experiencing could have caused the fire.Three hotels, Shikuku Hotel, New Spot Hotel and Tausi and shops were razed to ashes as wananchi watched helplessly. The town has been experiencing a water shortage in the last four days.
The proprietor of Shikuku Hotel Alice Miadis said fridges, furniture, bicycles and foodstuffs such as cooking oil, baking and maize flour, chicken were destroyed and burnt.
“We had closed our daily operations and as usual ensured all electrical gadgets had been disconnected," said Miadis. "But I was called from home and told there is a fire at the hotel." Miadis said she was shocked and "wondered what could have caused the fire”.
Quick response by Mumias police officers prevented wananchi from looting from the burning shops. They also salvaged the burning goods.The fire was put out by a combined effort by Mumias Sugar Company fire fighters with the help of the members of the public.
Mumias MP Ben Washiali who visited the scene in the middle of the night criticised the Mumias Municipal Council for allowing construction of buildings that did not have passageways for fire rescue operations.
“I will follow up with the town clerk and discuss with him how future building plans can actor in fire outbreaks and such like disasters."Washiali called on the police to find the cause of the fire. “If it is established that the fire was caused by an electrical fault, we will ask Kenya Power to compensate all those who lost their property.
Mumias police boss George Seda praised wananchi for their efforts in helping fight the fire and rescue property.“I also want to praise Mumias Sugar Company fire fighters for their quick response. The fire would have spread to neighbouring shops and beyond had they delayed,” Seda stated.