Retired soldier dies as fire destroys homes and church in Mlolongo
By Patrick Mutisya, November 8, 2025A retired soldier has died while ten others escaped uninjured after a fire broke out in one of the seven mabati houses at Kasina area within Mlolongo Township, Mavoko, in Machakos County.
The deceased, 70-year-old Fredrick Kivuva Itambo, a former KDF officer, was burnt beyond recognition after the blaze erupted around 5:30 pm. on Friday, just minutes after he had retired from his daily hustle.
Confirming the incident, Athi River East Sub-County Police Commander Anderson Mbae said they received a report from Mlolongo Zone E village elder Joseph Muinde, who heard screams and, upon checking, discovered that a seven-roomed mabati plot was on fire.
“Police officers led by Mlolongo OCS Mugambi rushed to the scene and established that the fire had started in one of the rooms,” Mbae said.
Elsewhere, a tragic fire claimed the lives of three family members in Tongaren, Bungoma County.
He added that a combined effort by members of the public, police officers, and firefighters from the Mavoko Municipality helped rescue and evacuate residents while salvaging a few belongings.
“The fire was promptly extinguished, but unfortunately, a 70-year-old man, Fredrick Kivuva Itambo, was burnt beyond recognition,” Mbae confirmed.
He noted that the value of the destroyed property and the cause of the fire had not yet been established.
According to eyewitnesses who spoke to K24 Digital, the fire is suspected to have started in one of the rooms before spreading rapidly and engulfing the entire structure.
Among the affected premises was a church, Kanisa Halisi la Mungu Baba, which was destroyed, leaving its congregation without a place of worship. A small restaurant that had been operating in the same plot was also reduced to ashes.
According to Kenya Red Cross officers who visited the scene, five families comprising three men, two women, and five children were left homeless. The fire consumed all their belongings, including bedding, clothes, and children’s learning materials.
The deceased’s brother, Francis Muthama, said he received a distress call from friends in Mlolongo informing him that his plot was on fire.
“When I got the call, I started asking about my brother, an ex-KDF soldier. He was the one manning the plot since I live several kilometres away,” Muthama said.
He added that he feared his brother might have been caught in the blaze while asleep, a fear that was later confirmed.
“My brother was burnt inside his house. We believe he was asleep when the fire started and was suffocated by the heavy smoke,” he said tearfully.
Pastor Cyrus Muthuri, who led the burnt-down church, said he had gone to the market to buy supper when he heard people shouting that a church was on fire.
“I didn’t know they were talking about my church until I arrived and found neighbours struggling to rescue some items,” Muthuri said.
He added that the fire left him devastated, as he lost not only the church but also equipment, including a keyboard and sound system.
Police from Mlolongo processed the scene, and the body of the deceased was taken to City Mortuary in Nairobi County for post-mortem examination.