Tens of families will spend the nights in the cold after a fire razed their houses at Bondeni Makadara village in Athi River subcounty early Wednesday.
Athi River South subcounty police commander Philis Muthoni said the incident happened at about 3.30am.
"Members of the public made a phone call to the Athi River police station that there was fire in the Bondeni-Makadara area. Officers from both the Kenya Police Service and Directorate of Criminal Investigations responded to the scene," Muthoni told the Star on Wednesday.
Muthoni said the cause of the fire is still unknown, with investigations in top gear to establish the cause.
"There were claims that someone left food cooking in a jiko at the said food kiosk," Muthoni said.
Muthoni also said an unknown number of iron sheets' structures were completely razed in the incident.
"The value of the property damaged and the number of the affected persons are still unknown. The structures were completely razed, and the DCI detectives are currently at the scene investigating the incident," Muthoni said.
The subconty police commander said there were no reported casualties.
"The number of affected residents, structures razed, and their values will be established," Muthoni said.
Some residents, the majority of whom were youth and children, were seen scavenging for metals from the scene to sell as scrap metals, while others struggled to gather what remains of their belongings.
They also recounted losses they had made, pleading with the government, local leaders, well-wishers, and philanthropists to come to their aid and help them with basic necessities.
Some of the lost property ranges from food, bedding, furniture, electronics, clothes, personal documents, children, books, utensils, and kitchenware.
Christopher Muasya, who operated a food kiosk in the area, said he lost all his property to the fire.
Muasya said it was the second time his food kiosk was razed at the same spot. It was first razed in December 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic.
"I have lost more than Sh70, 000 worth of property to the fire. I'm pleading with the government to help us restore our businesses and livelihoods; I'm not alone who has been affected by the fire incident," Muasya said.
Muasya said he was informed of the incident by one of his friends at around 3.50am, but he couldn't get to the scene that early since he lives far from his food kiosk.
"I came at 6 and found a few of my salvaged items; most of them had been stolen. I lost Sh100,000 worth of property when the joint was razed in 2020," Muasya said.
Muasya said he had run the food joint for five years, and it is the only source of livelihood for his family.
