Traders counting losses as Sunday morning fire razes Toi market in Kibra, Nairobi

A huge fire that razed through Toi market on Sunday morning has left scores of traders counting their losses.

The fire which is reported to have started in one of the stalls after an electrical blow-up at around 1am on Sunday morning quickly spread to others.

"The fire started around 1 am and the security team has told us that it was caused by an electrical failure," one of the traders told a section of the press.

Another trader who was among those whose stalls were destroyed by the fire estimated that 3000 stalls had been reduced to ashes.

"I was called around 1 am but I was not able to arrive here at that time and my stall has been burnt down. I used to sell pillows, pillowcases, duvets and many other things. It has affected around 3,000 stalls," said the trader.

Nairobi County fire brigade team responded swiftly to put out the fire.

Their efforts were however hampered by limited access due to narrow roads and paths that crisscross the stalls that line up the market.

The aftermath of a fierce fire that razed through Toi market in Kibra, reducing several stalls to ashes and leaving traders counting losses on June 11, 2023 Pulse Live Kenya

Traders who rushed to the scene hoping to salvage their stock revealed that the fire brigade had to operate from the main road as they attempted to put out the fire.

"They came and they stopped on the road…there is no path to gain access inside the market and there are even gates erected in most places," said a trader who claimed to have been at the scene.

Without backing their claims, a section of residents alleged that even though firefighting trucks arrived at the scene shortly after the fire started, but had no water.

"How can you bring trucks that have no water, I witnessed it myself, three of them came and they told us that they need to get the water from Nairobi water," noted one trader.

The traders are now urging the government to put safety measures in place to avert similar tragedies in the future.