Mombasa hoteliers count losses after night fire

This image taken on September 15, 2017 shows Indiana Beach Apartment Hotel, Mombasa, on fire. Property worth millions were destroyed. PHOTO | MOHAMED AHMED | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • At Ziwani Beach Resort, the fire destroyed six apartments while four others were partially burnt.
  • Bamburi Beach Hotel had more than 200 local and international guests but no one was hurt.

Property worth more than Sh60 million went up in smoke on Friday night when fire burnt down several facilities in Mombasa.

They included apartments, restaurants and bars of two hotels (Indiana Beach Apartment Hotel and Ziwani Beach Resort).

Indiana Beach Apartment Hotel financial controller Abdul Bachani said the fire broke out shortly after 7pm at the hotel’s restaurant, the Beach Hut.

NO INJURIES
He said the makuti (thatching using dry vegetation) roof caught fire, and its spread to the bar and the kitchen was catalysed by strong winds from the sea.

"The fire gutted a fully equipped and well-stocked restaurant, bar and kitchen causing us a loss estimated at Sh30 million.

"Our 30 apartments and 40 hotel rooms were not affected," Mr Bachani said at the hotel in Bamburi.

Speaking to the Nation on Saturday, he however said nobody was hurt in the fire.

MAKUTI

At the time, Mr Bachani said the apartments and the hotel had 60 percent occupancy.

He said the guests are carrying on with their holiday since the accommodation facilities were not affected.

More importantly during rebuilding, makuti will not be used for they are flammable, he said.

PROPERTY
At Ziwani Beach Resort, also in Bamburi, a staff said the fire destroyed six apartments while four others were partially burnt.

He said a restaurant, bar, kitchen and stores were also burnt down, adding that they managed to salvage some furniture.

"We suffered a facility and equipment loss worth Sh30 million. When the fire occurred, we had 16 guests but nobody was hurt," he said.

Some guests, he added, remained in the unaffected apartments while some were transferred to other hotels.

SAFE
At Bamburi Beach Hotel, the general manager Charles Ibukah said the hotel was slightly affected by the blaze.

"It’s only decorations on top of the roofs of our four rooms that were damaged by the fire. We suffered a loss of Sh200,000," he explained.

Mr Ibukah added that during the inferno, the hotel had more than 200 local and international guests but no one was hurt.