Residents of Gatuikira village in Ndenderu, Kiambaa sub-county woke up to a sad morning following the death of two family members through a deadly inferno.
The fire whose cause is yet to be established also burned two other family members with one of them nursing severe burn injuries in a nearby health facility.
The midnight inferno which razed down the family’s corrugated iron sheets house burnt Grace Kanyiri and her 3-year-old daughter Njoki Kanyiri beyond recognition.
Her husband Joseph Kanyiri and another daughter, Ngendo Kanyiri sustained severe burns and were rushed to Kwa Njamba dispensary and Kihara hospital respectively.
Confirming the incident, Karuri OCPD Ringera said that a team of investigators had been dispatched to the scene to investigate the cause of the fire.
“Kanyiri who is the father is in a stable condition and is receiving treatment at Kwa Njaba dispensary in Ndenderu town while his daughter Ngendo is hospitalized at Kihara hospital,” he said.
He added; “DCI officers from Karuri Police station are combing the debris and rubbles in an effort to piece up information which can lead to the establishment of the cause of the deadly inferno”.
One Robert Ndichu who is brother to Kanyiri said that efforts to rescue the deceased were rendered futile by the huge flames of fire and clouds of smoke that were billowing from the raging fire.
He said that he was awoken by screams and shouts for help and when he went out, he found his brother’s house burning. He also raised an alarm by screamingly for help.
Ndichu said that he and neighbours who responded to his distress call, despite the heavy rain which was pounding managed to rescue his brother and his daughter.
“By the grace of God, we managed to rescue my brother and my niece Ngendo. Unfortunately, we could not be able to access the room where his wife and her 3-year-old daughter were because of the raging fierce fire’, he said.
Among those who responded to the distress call was Kiambaa Jubilee party parliamentary aspirant Kariri Njama who challenged the county government to ensure that fire engines are always put on the ready to forestall such catastrophic incidents.
“I imagine that if at all there was a fire engine around, the lives of the duo would have been saved as well as the property of the family”, he said.
He said that his Njama Foundation would chip in and assist the family in burial preparations and help it put up another residence.
