15 dead following Gikomba fire

15 people have been confirmed dead after succumbing to injuries from an early morning fire that engulfed a section of Nairobi’s Gikomba market on the 28th of June.

Five of the 15, among them four children, died on arrival at Kenyatta National Hospital. KNH further confirmed that they had received close to 70 casualties among them, 17 children.

Some missing victims are believed to have been among those trapped inside a building after a security guard locked the gate and left the building.

According to the Kenya Red Cross, it is believed that the fire started at around 1 am in Kwa Mbao area before spreading to other parts of the informal market.

However,  by 7.30am that morning, firefighters from Nairobi City County Fire Brigade were still trying to extinguish it.

Families of those affected by the fire converged at a nearby tent set up at the site to report what and whoever is missing.

President Uhuru Kenyatta has said pledged the government’s help to the families affected.