Property of unknown value was last evening burnt down to ashes at Soko Mjinga Sessi area in Moyale Town, Marsabit County.
Moyale Police Commander, Anthony Nderitu, while confirming the incident said there were no casualties except for a 37-year-old man, Nawe Issack Jillo, who sustained slight bruises during the inferno.
Nderitu said it is alleged Nawe who is among the traders within market was lighting a jiko when his wife was busy quantifying petroleum into smaller containers when their kiosk caught fire.
Traders in Moyale keep a large amount of regular petrol, smuggled from the neighboring country, Ethiopia and sell at a cheaper price in the Kenyan side of the border.
Nothing, was salvaged during the inferno that destroyed about five kiosks. Moyale town does not a fire fighting engine hence everything was reduced to ashes during the inferno.
“These traders are the ones to blame because the probable cause of the fire is that, in every kiosks, these traders have a lot of regular petrol, which is highly inflammable and at the same time they use jikos and stoves to cook inside their shops,” Nderitu said.
The sentiments were also echoed by township Member of the County Assembly (MCA), Kiya Jillo, who cited carelessness of the traders whom he said slept inside the kiosks and at the same time they cook within the same dangerous area.
The MCA, however, appealed to the County Government of Marsabit to consider installing firefighting equipment and trained personnel to avoid further losses in future.
During this year’s Mashujaa Day celebrations at the Moyale Baraza Park, the Chairman of the 35 Peace Committee members in Moyale, Hussein Kadida, appealed to the County government of Marsabit to consider Moyale town for a fire engine to avoid loss of property when fires break out.
By Gatana Muchira
