Massive Blaze Sweeps Through Mlango Kubwa as Emergency Crews Battle to Contain Fire
A major fire ripped through parts of the Mlango Kubwa neighbourhood in Mathare on Wednesday, December 10, 2025, destroying several residential structures and forcing families to flee as thick smoke billowed over the densely populated area.
The inferno, which broke out in the afternoon, quickly spread across closely packed homes, prompting residents to frantically attempt to salvage their belongings before escaping to safety. Video footage shared online showed flames engulfing makeshift houses as clouds of smoke hovered above the settlement.
The Kenya Red Cross confirmed that emergency teams had been deployed to support the affected community and coordinate rescue efforts alongside county authorities.
In a statement, the organisation said:
“Incident Alert: A fire outbreak has been reported at the Mlango Kubwa area in Mathare, Nairobi County. The Nairobi Fire Brigade is currently on site, and efforts to extinguish the fire are underway. More updates to follow.”
Security firm Securex Agencies Ltd also issued an advisory, noting that both police officers and the Nairobi County Fire Brigade were actively working to contain the blaze amid challenging conditions.
According to the firm, “Reports indicate that a fire has broken out in residential structures within the Mlango Kubwa area of Mathare. Preliminary assessments show that police and the Nairobi County Fire Brigade are on site, with efforts underway to contain and extinguish the blaze. Movement in and around the area may be affected as response operations continue.”
Authorities cautioned motorists and pedestrians to avoid the affected routes, warning that emergency operations were likely to disrupt traffic within and around Mlango Kubwa.
Footage captured by local news platform Flashnews showed residents battling to put out the flames using buckets of water as others ran to salvage whatever they could carry. The intensity of the heat and rapidly spreading smoke forced many families to evacuate immediately.
By Wednesday evening, emergency crews remained on the ground working to extinguish the fire and assess the extent of the damage. No official reports on casualties or the cause of the blaze had been released at the time of publication.
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Massive Blaze Sweeps Through Mlango Kubwa as Emergency Crews Battle to Contain Fire