At least eight dead as fire rips through Nairobi slum

Cause unknown, but fires are common in Nairobi’s crowded, poor settlements where safety measures are often lacking

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A fire tore through an informal settlement in the Kenyan capital Nairobi on Saturday, killing at least eight people, police said.

The fire in the city’s Makina area began at around 5:00 am (0200 GMT), said police official Patricia Yegon.

“Eight people were burnt to death, while several others were injured,” she said.

Another source said that family of seven and pregnant woman among the dead. At least 20 others injured in the incident.

The cause has not been established, but fires frequently occur in the capital’s overcrowded and impoverished informal settlements.

The Kenyan Red Cross said 40 houses were affected before firefighters contained the blaze with the help of the local community.