The fire, which broke out at around 1:00am, completely destroyed furniture and equipment belonging to four traders operating near the Mugumo area along the Mwea–Embu Highway. Fortunately, no injuries were reported, though livelihoods were wiped out in the blaze.
According to Ngurubani resident Martin Mwaura, the fire started just as he was parking his vehicle nearby. He described the scene as shocking and overwhelming.
“I could not imagine seeing such a huge fire consuming the furniture. I immediately raised an alarm, attracting residents who rushed to the scene, but efforts to contain the fire were in vain,” Mwaura said.
Residents said they attempted to battle the inferno using water and buckets, but the flames spread rapidly, overwhelming their efforts. They continued fighting the fire until about 3:00am, as they waited for firefighters to arrive.
The chairman of the Ngurubani Business Community, Anthony Mucheke, said the traders suffered significant losses, noting that the cause of the fire is yet to be established. He also criticized the lack of adequate fire-fighting infrastructure in Mwea Constituency.
“We urgently need fire-fighting services in Mwea Constituency. Firefighters had to come all the way from Kerugoya in Kirinyaga Central, over 40 kilometres away, yet Mwea is the largest constituency by population in the county,” Mucheke said.
Concerns were further raised over the preparedness of the county fire brigade. Mr Mwaura claimed that the firefighting vehicle arrived without water, sparking suspicions of mechanical or logistical challenges.
“We thought the firefighters were prepared, but they arrived with a clean water vehicle. We suspect the county fire engine may have mechanical problems,” he added.
Residents expressed fears that delayed response by fire services often results in extensive property damage and, in some cases, loss of life, calling on the county government to urgently improve emergency response capacity in the region.
One of the affected traders made an emotional appeal for assistance, saying the fire had completely wiped out their source of income.
“We are appealing for help and support after our furniture was completely destroyed by the fire,” the trader said.
Meanwhile, detectives from Wang’uru Police Station visited the scene and confirmed that investigations have been launched to determine the cause of the fire.
