Former Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko has called on Governor Johnson Sakaja to establish fully equipped fire stations in each of Nairobi’s 17 sub-counties following the devastating fire in Huruma that left at least 80 families homeless.
Taking to X (formerly Twitter), Sonko expressed his condolences to the victims while emphasizing the need for proactive measures to prevent future disasters. “In order to prevent future loss of human life due to fire tragedies, I would like to strongly encourage the Governor of Nairobi to put into action my proposals for establishing a fire station in each of the 17 sub-counties in Nairobi,” Sonko said.
Sonko highlighted that during his tenure, fire stations were built in key areas such as Gigiri, Ruaraka, Kangundo Road, and Waithaka. However, he admitted that these facilities were still insufficient to guarantee timely emergency responses across the city.
Residents of Huruma criticized the slow response by emergency teams during the Thursday night blaze, which reportedly stemmed from a gas explosion. Responders claimed their vehicles lacked fuel, further worsening the tragedy. “Red Cross has not been able to reach here; the county government is also sleeping… they said they are searching for fuel,” one resident lamented.
In a show of compassion, Sonko announced that his rescue team would facilitate transportation for the eight victims to their final resting places and provide coffins for each to ensure a decent send-off.
Currently, Nairobi has only 11 functioning fire stations, including those at Khoja and the Industrial Area — facilities that have served since independence. The Kangundo Fire Station, opened in 2019, was among the latest additions.
The Huruma inferno comes barely a week after another fire in Mukuru kwa Reuben’s Sinai area claimed two lives and left 200 families homeless, raising renewed concerns about the city’s emergency preparedness and response capacity.
