Traders at the bustling Nanyuki New Market in Laikipia County have been left devastated after a massive overnight inferno tore through the trading hub, destroying property worth millions of shillings.
The fire, which broke out late on Saturday, May 23, spread rapidly across the market, reducing dozens of stalls to ashes as helpless traders watched their livelihoods go up in flames.
Witnesses described scenes of panic and despair as huge flames lit up the night sky while thick black smoke billowed across parts of Nanyuki town for hours.
Footage obtained by local media showed hundreds of residents gathered outside the market as the blaze raged uncontrollably, with traders desperately attempting to salvage whatever remained of their businesses.
Authorities are yet to establish the cause of the inferno.
Emergency response teams from the Laikipia County Government were later joined by personnel from the British Army Training Unit Kenya (BATUK) and the Kenya Air Force based at Nanyuki Air Base in efforts to contain the fire.
However, angry traders criticised what they termed as a delayed emergency response, arguing that faster intervention could have saved some of their property.
“We watched everything burn down before help arrived. Some of us have lost our entire source of income,” one distraught trader lamented.
Another eyewitness said the flames spread “within minutes,” making it nearly impossible to rescue goods from the tightly packed stalls.
The incident has once again raised concerns over fire preparedness and emergency response mechanisms in major trading centres across the country.
By Sunday morning, no casualties had officially been reported, although affected traders remained uncertain about their future as they awaited communication from authorities.
Nanyuki New Market, located near the Mwisho wa Reli area in Laikipia County, is one of the town’s busiest commercial centres, serving thousands of traders and residents daily.
The market is particularly known for fresh farm produce, affordable household goods, and popular local eateries that attract customers from across the region.
The tragedy comes at a time when plans had already been proposed to transform the market into an ultra-modern multi-million-shilling facility aimed at improving the local business environment.
The latest inferno now adds to a growing list of devastating market fires witnessed across Kenya in recent years.
Major markets including Toi Market and Gikomba Market in Nairobi have previously suffered repeated fire outbreaks, leaving traders counting massive financial losses and renewing calls for improved safety measures in public trading spaces.
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