Fire razes down 30 houses, leaves 50 families homeless.

The aftermath of a fierce fire that left 50 families homeless on Saturday morning in Ngoliba village.

Fifty families were left homeless after a fierce fire burnt down their homes in Duka Moja area in Ngoliba, Thika East Sub County on Saturday morning.

The fire started in one of the houses in a semi-permanent residential plot at around 8am, spreading so fast due to strong winds and its timber partitions, razing down all other houses to ashes.

Luckily, there were no casualties in the fire whose cause still remains a mystery though the tenants lost almost all their household items and vital documents.

Mzee Francis Thunzi Kiili, who lost everything in the fire said that he was just working in the shamba a few meters from the scene when he was alerted by screams of children who were alone in the plot. He says that he rushed there to find a very huge fire consuming the houses.

“My first reaction was to rush to my neighbour’s house who has a disabled son but luckily I met someone running away with the boy. I dashed to another house and helped to evacuate the children who were trapped beneath the fires. We could not salvage anything by then by then, the fire was too much for anyone to get anywhere near the houses,” said Thunzi.

Julius Mulandi was all tears when he arrived home to find all his earthly possessions consumed by fire. He appealed to well-wishers to come to their aid as some of them had nothing left. However, he praised God that no life was lost or anyone injured in the fire.

Speaking at the scene, Eng. Patrick Wainaina Wa Jungle said that it was unfortunate that an area like Ngoliba lacked firefighting services that could have been pivotal in this case.

He donated mattresses, blankets and foodstuff to all the affected families and promised to rebuild their houses within the next two to three days.

“A calamity like this one is as a result of poverty levels that force people to live in such a crowded place. We need as leaders to think of ways to create more jobs and help improve the standards of living, not only in Ngoliba, but also in other places like Kiandutu, Kiang’ombe, Gachagi and Matharao slums. We need to empower these people and ensure that we help them to improve their habitat,” said Wainaina.

He requested area leaders to join hands and seek temporary shelter for the victims as his team made arrangements to rebuild their homes.

Eng. Patrick Wainaina consoling the families affected by the fire. He donated mattresses, blankets and foodstuff to the victims and promised to help them rebuild their homes in the next three days. 

Regarding tomorrow’s visit to Thika Stadium by President Uhuru Kenyatta, Wainaina appealed to all his supporters to accord the Head of State all the respect he deserved and hoped that local political differences will not overshadow this visit.

“I appeal to all my supporters to behave in decorum in the presence of the president. I do not want any of my supporters to wear my attire as we will go there to meet the Head of State and accord him all the support he needs. Anyone found misbehaving should face the music as Wainaina is for peace and for the unity of all Thika people,” he said.

Johnstone Ndegwa (Wa Dillons), who is vying for the Ngoliba Ward seat as an independent candidate donated foodstuff to the victims and promised to make arrangements of how they will get shelter for a few days.

“I have made arrangements for you to sleep at the Ngoliba Resource Centre for a few days before your houses are rebuilt. Meanwhile, I will talk to a few friends to see how they can assist in other essential commodities,” said Ndegwa.

Area Assistant Chief Madam Jane promised to make all arrangements to ensure all those who lost their ID cards in the infernal will have them replaced in good time for them to participate in the August elections.