Several homes and businesses were destroyed after a fire broke out in the Gatwekera area of Kibra, Nairobi, near the Shining Hope for Communities (SHOFCO) headquarters on Wednesday, August 26.

🇰🇪 Breaking It Down

The incident sparked panic among the residents who rushed to contain the flames and prevent the fire from spreading to nearby homes and structures.

Images obtained by Kenyans.co.ke showed residents carrying jerricans and pouring water on the fire, as many others helplessly watched from a distance.

Over 20 iron-sheet and wood structures, which were mainly people's houses, went up in flames, leaving behind a trail of destruction.

📌 What You Need to Know

The area residents were among the first to respond to the incident before the Nairobi County Government’s disaster management team arrived and put out the fire a few minutes to noon.

Witness reports indicate that at least one girl was injured and rushed to hospital for treatment, with no deaths reported at the time of reporting this article.

Despite the fire breaking out near the SHOFCO centre, the nearby school remained safe as efforts to contain the blaze continued into noon

In a statement, moments after the incident, SHOFCO said its aerial water piping system helped contain the fire, describing reliable water infrastructure as an important tool during emergencies.

“Our hearts are with the families in Gatwekera, Kibera, impacted by the recent fire near SHOFCO’s main site,” SHOFCO said in a statement.

The organisation also thanked residents, volunteers and emergency responders who responded to the incident and helped prevent further destruction.

📰 Source: Kenyans.co.ke