Millions lost in Machakos mitumba market inferno

Traders at Machakos Mitumba market count their losses after a fire razed the trading premises. [Courtesy]

Scores of traders at the famous Machakos town 'mitumba market' were left counting losses yesterday night after an unexpected fire razed down their merchandise.

The fire, whose cause was not immediately established and which struck at around 11 pm on Sunday, is said to have caused havoc worth millions of shillings.

The second-hand wares normally in congested kiosks were completely razed to ashes before the response team of fire extinguishers from the Machakos county government arrived for action.

Some of the traders and people of goodwill who arrived at the horrible scene struggled for hours to try to contain the fire before the arrival of the fire extinguishers.

The cause of the fire was not immediately established, but the police are doing investigations. Police from nearby Machakos police station arrived shortly after the incident and started investigations as the exact total loss was not immediately established.

"I was called by one of my customers at around past 11 pm, who informed me of the fire incident, before I soon l arrived there in panic only to find the unbelievable", said one of the traders who did not want to disclose identity.

Among the notable individuals to arrive at the scene on Sunday morning was Machakos Deputy Governor Francis Mwangangi, accompanied by the Machakos County Assembly majority leader Nicholas Nzioka, who joined the affected traders in condemning the fire tragedy.

Fortunately, no casualties were reported in the fire incident as the incident struck at night.

The Deputy Governor assured the traders that everything possible would be done to establish the real cause of the inferno, as the market was not connected to electricity.

Equally, he said the county Government under the able leadership of Governor Wavinya Ndeti will do everything possible to assist the affected traders to resume back to their normal status.

 He said a thorough assessment will be carried out to establish those affected and the necessary next course of action.

The minority leader, Mr Nzioka, extended his sympathy to the affected traders, saying that, in collaboration with the executive, all will be done for the necessary assistance.