Fire breaks out in Mwangeka residential area in Mombasa
By Nancy Marende, January 4, 2026A fire has broken out in the Mwangeka residential area near Makupa Catholic Church in Mombasa County.
In a statement on Sunday, January 4, 2026, the Kenya Red Cross revealed that firefighting and emergency response teams were en route to the scene.
“A residential fire has broken out in Mwangeka, near Makupa Catholic Church, Mombasa County. Response teams are en route to the scene,” read the statement.
Gitaru fire
This comes a few weeks after a family in Gitaru, Kiambu, lost their home to a fire caused by fireworks on New Year’s Eve, highlighting the dangers of unregulated pyrotechnics.
Joyce Erusa, one of the victims, said that the fire emanated from the bedroom where a child tried to ignite the fireworks-producing item
“Kiberiti ilikuwa hapo kwa meza, sasa akawakisha hiyo yenye, kulikuwa na kadogo kenye alikuwa nako kumbe aliwakishia huku bedroom. Sasa mimi nikaskia kitu ikifanya tu. Dakika kidogo tena nikaskia ingine. Arufu ya moshi sasa nikaanza kuskia kitu inachomeka,” she said. “Sasa mimi nikaskia kitu ikifanya tu. Dakika kidogo tena nikaskia ingine. Arufu ya moshi sasa nikaanza kuskia kitu inachomeka.”
Erusa said she initially checked the kitchen, which was clear, before discovering that the mattress in the bedroom had caught fire.
“Nikaingia jikoni kwanza nikapata jikoni kuko clear. Sasa vile niliingia bedroom dio nikapata mattress imeshika moto.”
“Nikajaribu vile nitazima nikatoka nje mbio nikaambia jirani yangu nikatoka nikakutana na mwanaume mwingine hapo nikamwambia akuje anisaidie kwangu kumewaka moto. Kufika huyo mwanaume akaniambia ‘hakuna vile nitakusaidia hii moto ni mingi.’”
The mother explained how quickly the fire spread, destroying all their possessions.
“Juu vile nilirudi hivi kujaribu kuingia niokoe vitu, moshi ikanipiga nikaona nitazirai. Tulikuwa tumejipanga tupeleke mtoto shule, vitu zote zimechomekea kwa nyumba hatujui tutaanzia wapi. Ndio mwaka imeanza, yani sijielewi. Hatujielewi tutaanzia wapi. Mkipenda tu mtusaidie. Chochote chenye mtakuwa nacho,” Erusa said.
Lawrence Njoroge, the father, said the incident had ruined the start of his year.
“Mimi mwaka wangu umeanza vibaya sababu, kwa nuclear family yangu, mimi nikiwa baba, na bibi na watoto. Umeanza vibaya kwa sababu hakuna mtu ako na kitu ata kidogo,” he said.
Senior Chief James Gitau called for action to prevent similar incidents.
“I think it’s recommendable that the fireworks will be removed from the shelves so that we avoid children continuing buying them,” he said.