Fire fighters abandoned us, Korogocho chief
Korogocho.
A Nairobi chief has decried the fire brigade’s inaction after a morning fire razed 16 houses in Highridge area in Korogocho slum.
“It is sad that the fire brigade refused to come to our aid despite making calls to them,” said Korogocho Chief Nyabuto Omache on Tuesday.
At least 12 families were left homeless.
Zipporah Muthoni, a victim, said the 11am fire might have been caused by an electric fault.
“We heard our neighbours raising the alarm and before we could react, the fire had spread,” said Muthoni who only managed to salvage her beddings.
Mr Omache said this was a second time that the fire brigade had failed to turn up after a fire incident.
He said the roads in the area have been improved to enable the water tankers to gain access to the slum.
This gave the youths who had offered to help put out the fire a chance to loot.
“My house was not burnt but was looted by the youths who came to put out the fire. I was hit by a falling door post during the process,” said Ms Gorreti Atieno, who had a swollen face.
“Why can’t we be treated as Kenyans, you have seen the looting taking place even though the chief is here. What are we supposed to make of this?” posed an angry George Ochieng.
The chief, however said it was hard to act when no complaints have been forwarded to him.