A devastating fire that engulfed Ramogi House on Luthuli Avenue last Tuesday evening, raging into the early hours of Wednesday, has once again exposed the vulnerabilities of Nairobi’s aging commercial buildings. While firefighters heroically contained the blaze to a single floor, the incident – sparked by welding activities amid stores brimming with flammable textiles and mobile phone batteries – underscored critical gaps in fire safety that demand immediate action.
Authorities confirmed the fire originated in a textile shop, fueled by highly combustible materials and toxic fumes from burning batteries. Nairobi County Assistant Director of Fire Services Wilson Wanjiru highlighted the operation’s greatest hurdle: the building’s design featuring only one exit, which trapped heat and smoke, severely hampering evacuation and firefighting efforts. “If you have one exit, there is humidity and a lot of heat – that’s a very big challenge,” Wanjiru noted, adding that delayed access to the ignition point further complicated the response.
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