NYANCHWA FIRE VICTIMS COUNT LOSSES AS RESIDENTS QUESTION KISII COUNTY’S FIREFIGHTING RESPONSE
A fire broke out in houses adjacent to Getembe Dispensary in Nyanchwa, Kisii Town, causing panic among residents and prompting an emergency response as efforts were made to contain the flames.
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A fire broke out in houses adjacent to Getembe Dispensary in Nyanchwa, Kisii Town, causing panic among residents and prompting an emergency response as efforts were made to contain the flames.
Residents rushed to the scene as the fire spread, with members of the community attempting to help control the situation and protect nearby properties from being affected.
A section of Nyanchwa residents has protested the county government’s response to the incident, particularly after a firefighting water tanker arrived with what residents described as very limited water, forcing it to return for more as the fire continued to spread.
A landlord affected by the fire also questioned the county’s preparedness, saying residents had seen two Kisii County water tankers that were part of the fire response team. According to the landlord, the fire broke out less than a kilometre away, yet the firefighting engine that arrived at the scene had so little water that it was, in their words, “not even a full tanker.”
The landlord questioned why the county could have water tankers in the area but still respond to a fire less than a kilometre away with inadequate water.
The human cost of the fire was also evident, with one family breaking down emotionally after discovering that property worth more than KSh400,000 had been destroyed. The losses reportedly included household belongings, business items and money that had been kept inside the house.
The family’s loss highlighted the devastating impact of the fire on residents who not only lost their homes and possessions but also valuable items connected to their livelihoods.
The concerns have been heightened by another recent fire at Nyanchwa Girls High School on Saturday, where residents say a firefighting engine was reportedly not immediately available despite the school being less than a kilometre from the fire station. A firefighting team from Nyamira was reportedly required to assist in containing the situation.
Residents are now questioning the county’s level of preparedness and whether enough operational firefighting equipment is available to respond quickly when emergencies occur.
They are calling on the Kisii County Government to improve its firefighting preparedness, properly maintain emergency vehicles and ensure firefighting teams have adequate water and equipment before being dispatched to fire scenes.
For residents, the concern goes beyond one incident. They say inadequate resources or delays in responding to emergencies can allow flames to spread rapidly, increasing property losses and potentially putting lives at risk.
The latest fire has therefore renewed scrutiny of Kisii County’s disaster-management system, with residents demanding faster response, adequate firefighting resources and better coordination during emergencies.
The full extent of the damage caused by the Nyanchwa fire, including the total value of property destroyed, had not been immediately established. The exact cause of the fire was also not immediately available.
As affected families begin assessing their losses, residents are now looking to the county government for answers on whether concrete measures will be taken to strengthen firefighting services and prevent similar challenges during future emergencies.
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Written by Anne Moses
Reporter and staff writer at Getembe News.
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