Two children died in a house fire on Friday morning in Mwenji Village, Nyeri County, under mysterious circumstances.
The victims—Elizabeth Wothaya, six, and her two-year-old brother Emmanuel Murugu—were reportedly alone in the bedroom of their semi-permanent timber house when the fire broke out at around 8:30am.
According to preliminary investigations, their parents, James Kariuki and Sabina Muthoni, both casual labourers, had already left for work.
The father is said to have left at around 7 am, while the mother had gone to work at a coffee farm in Mathari. Only the children’s grandparents were within the homestead at the time of the tragedy.
Sabina Muthoni grieves the loss of her two children, aged two and six, after a tragic house fire claimed their lives at Mwenji village in Nyeri County on June 6, 2025.
Photo credit: Joseph Kanyi| Nation Media Group
“The grandmother was the first to notice the house was on fire. She raised the alarm and alerted neighbours. However, upon questioning, we learned that she was unaware the children were inside,” said Nyeri Town sub-County Police Commander Andrew Mbogo.
“It was difficult for the children to escape. Neighbours who were the first to arrive at the scene could not access the house due to the strong flames,” he said.
About 30 minutes into the rescue efforts, a six-kilogram gas cylinder inside the house exploded, igniting an inferno that could not be contained, the police boss added.
Some residents told reporters that the children’s bodies were recovered near what appeared to be a fireplace in a squatting position, suggesting they were trying to keep warm in the cold morning. But Mr Mbogo, the police boss, dismissed the claims.
“The structure is a small timber house, and the bodies were found in the bedroom. Because of its size, locals may have mistaken the bedroom for a kitchen,” he explained.
The incident has sparked criticism of the county's emergency response, with residents claiming that police arrived nearly five hours after the incident was reported and that firefighters faced challenges accessing the scene.
“Our investigative agencies have failed us because we have been calling for help with no response. All other government officials, including the chief, arrived here early,” said Margaret Wangechi, a neighbour.
Mr Mbogo said police were yet to establish the cause of the fire, adding that investigations were ongoing.
