Four individuals, including a child, have been reported burned beyond recognition in a fire that devastated Toi Market. The victims were reportedly trying to salvage their belongings when the flames overwhelmed them.
The blaze has severely impacted at least 2,000 traders, leaving many to assess their losses. Kenneth Jumba, chair of Toi Market, suspects that the fire may have been deliberately set.
“We have not received an official report on last year’s fire, and such incidents have become all too common,” Jumba said.
Toi Market has a troubling history of frequent fires. In June 2023, traders found their properties worth millions of shillings destroyed. Previous incidents include a fire in November 2021 that damaged a section of stalls and two separate fires in 2019, following a significant blaze in 2014 that caused extensive damage.
The market’s vulnerability to fires has been exacerbated by inadequate access roads, which hinder timely fire service responses. In 2018, the market suffered three fire incidents, prompting then-President Uhuru Kenyatta to call for a thorough investigation and accountability for those responsible.
