Eldoret traders count loses after fire outbreak.
More than 30 small and micro-medium traders at the Eldoret West market are counting losses of more than Sh3 million following a fire outbreak.
The cause of the fire was not immediately known and local police have, however, launched investigations.
There are more than 500 traders at the market who deal with various businesses that include selling second-hand clothes, and sewing while others stock their clothes at the stalls.
The fire broke out on the night of April 11, 2023, and it took more than an hour for the county fire brigade to contain it.
“When I left at 9 pm last evening everything was ok. I received a call from a neighbor later that there was a fire. I came and found, the fire razed my sewing machines and bales of clothes,” noted Peter Wanjohi, one of the traders, who estimated to have lost more than Sh400,000.
Joseph Gitau, another trader, explained that the incident had affected more business owners in the area and appealed to the relevant authorities to come to their aid.
“We don’t know the cause of the fire. As traders, we contribute taxes and we want to urge all our leaders to assist us to recover these losses. I have lost a lot and have not started to evaluate but I have more than 1,000 pieces of cloth,” added Mr Gitau.
Mildred Oteba, one of the traders noted that most of them relied on the ventures to earn living and the incident was blow to them.
Paul Otuoma, one of the traders, urged the Uasin Gishu County to ensure that there is constant supply of water to the market, saying inaccessibility to water hampered emergency efforts.
“Water pump to the market is normally switched off in the evening. We had to move a distance to get water which delayed efforts to control the spread of the fire,” said Mr. Otuoma.
The traders appealed to the local and national leaders to intervene and help them to salvage the situation and compensate them
“The current economic situation is really tough and if these families will not be assisted, things will be more difficult for them,” noted Mr Otuoma.
Tony Wambua, the Eldoret west market chairperson, asked the national and county leadership to intervene and ensure that the traders are properly compensated.
He said that there are more than 500 traders who operate in the market following the closure of the Eldoret Main market within the town’s central Business District.
“This market has been forgotten for many years and we want the county to focus on this market. We have many who have been affected. We want to ask the county to compensate those traders who are affected and renovate this market,” said Mr Wambua.
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