Murang’a’s Mathai Supermarket burns in night inferno

Property worth millions of shillings has been destroyed after this fire gutted Mathai Supermarket in Murang’a town on October 20, 2019. PHOTO | NDUNG'U GACHANE | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • Fire fighters had to go back to the fire station to fetch more water.
  • Locals present said the fire started on the first floor of the building.
  • Police have launched investigations into the cause of the fire.

Property worth millions of shillings has been destroyed after a fire gutted Mathai Supermarket in Murang’a town.

The Sunday night inferno, which started at around midnight was so huge that it overpowered the only fire engine which was present.

Fire fighters had to go back to the fire station to fetch more water.

Locals present said the fire started on the first floor of the building.

They said the fire spread quickly since there was slow response from the county fire department.

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"Only one vehicle arrived to put out the fire and this contributed to it spreading fast," a witness said.

About 30 minutes after the inferno started, power supply in Murang’a town and its environs was cut off.

Murang’a County Police Commander Josephat Kinyua said investigations to establish the cause of the fire have been launched.

"We have begun investigations to establish what led to the inferno," he said.

The fire came two months after another inferno burnt the supermarket’s outlet in Ruiru, Kiambu County.