Tragedy as four children of one family die in Murang'a night fire

Four children aged between one and a half and four years died in a night fire tragedy in Murang'a County on Thursday.

The tragedy struck the children at Gakoigo trading centre in Maragua Constituency.

According to Murang'a South Deputy County Commissioner, Mr Gitonga Murungi, the fire, the cause of which is yet to be ascertained, occurred in a iron sheet room belonging to Ms Lucy Njeri.

"The house caught fire around 8 pm when she had gone to the market to buy food. She had left the four children - two girls and two boys - inside," he said.

Desperate efforts by neighbours to save the children were unsuccessful and by the time they were able to extinguish the inferno, the children had been burnt to ashes.

Three of the children belonged to Ms Njeri, who fainted and had to be rushed to Maragua Level Four Hospital, where she is currently admitted.

The fourth child belonged to her relative.

The four children were identified by police as Alvin Kamau, aged four, Bredah Wanjiku, aged three, Jayden Waweru, aged two, and Lyon Murturi, aged 1.6.

"All of them were burnt beyond recognition and officers from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) visited and documented the scene of the tragedy," Mr Murungi said.

He added that the bodies had been taken to Murang'a Level Five Hospital mortuary for autopsy. 

"The cause of the fire is yet to be established. The value of the lost items is being ascertained," he added.

Mr Murungi added that "Ms Njeri is in shock but in a stable condition at the hospital".

Mr James Ngugi, a neighbour, said the fierce flames of the fire attracted neighbours to the scene "and despite the rain, we could not put it out".

He said the county fire service arrived too late.

"We lost the four young souls... Neighbours wept uncontrollably at the sight of the charred remains. We could not identify who was who as their remains were stuffed into police bags for transport to the mortuary," he said.

Mr Ngugi said he could not speculate on the cause of the fire, saying authorities had urged neighbours to be patient, avoid speculation and wait for an official report.

County leaders led by Governor Irungu Kang'ata sent their condolences.

"It is sad, the county government stands with the families of the deceased in their grief. It is indeed a sad incident that has hit us as a government and we feel the pain. We will give our full support to the two affected families," said Mr Kang'ata.

Senator Joe Nyutu said he received the news with utter shock and said God will be with the families who lost the children.

"Surely God will give the families the strength to bear it. It is a wake-up call for us in leadership to take a keen interest in how our people live in rented houses and how safe they are from emergencies," he said.

Mr Nyutu said, "At such a sad moment, people may try to apportion blame...but unless it is proven beyond reasonable doubt that the tragedy was deliberately caused by a malicious mind, all that is needed is for us to pray, to stand by the families in word and deed, and to endure that we audit our rented houses to see how safe they are or can be made safer".

Area MP Mary wa Maua visited the scene and broke down in tears.

"Our God knows why, we cannot complain. But the human nature in us must demand a full and comprehensive official report from the investigators detailing the cause of the fire," she said.

Ms Wa Maua pledged to stand by the two families.

"As a mother, I know the strong bond a woman has with her unborn children. It is no small thing for a mother to lose three children in one day... The other mother who lost the fourth child in the inferno is also pained, I will stand with her," she said. 

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