Traders incur losses worth over a million shillings after fire raze down premises.

Charred remains of property worth millions of shillings after yesternight's inferno at Biafra Estate. 

About 20 small traders are now counting losses after their business premises were razed down by a fire broke-out at ‘Ngabu trading center’ in Biafra Estate, Thika town.

Property valued at more than Sh1 million was reduced to ashes as the owners could not get immediate assistance from the fire fighters and were forced to improvise crude ways of putting out the inferno.

The fire, whose cause is yet to be established, started at around 10.00pm and lasted for at least three hours, razing down several shops before the fire brigades from Thika sub-county fire services arrived.

Angry residents protested against the county government accusing it for failing to respond in time. Residents of the neighbouring Majengo, Biafra and Starehe estates came to help but they could not salvage anything because the fire was spreading very fast.

The situation at the scene of the fire at about 1am Sunday morning.

“The first vehicle to arrive here came after 30 minutes and it still did not have enough water. The fire escalated spontaneously to other shops as they too watched helplessly. About 45 minutes later is when the second fire engine arrived,” explained one of the traders who claims to have lost property worth over Sh. 300,000.

“I was unable to salvage anything from my kinyozi, M-PESA shop and butchery,” he lamented.

Ngabu area that neighbours Bible Fellowship Church hosts several businesses in semi-permanent buildings that includes salons, kiosks, M-PESA shops, eateries and other businesses.

No casualties have been reported so far.