Six children have died in two separate house fires in Nyandarua County, leaving two families devastated after losing their children and homes.
Four siblings from Gatimu Ward in Ol Joro Orok Constituency died on Sunday after a fire engulfed their home, while two other children were killed in a separate incident in Ol Kalou Ward.
In the Gatimu incident, the four children had reportedly been left at home as their parents attended church when the fire broke out. The parents were alerted by neighbours and rushed home, only to discover that all four children had died.
The victims were identified as Stephen Wahome, eight, Angel Ann, two, Joseph Mwangi, five, and Liam Thiong’o, four.
Stephen was reportedly found holding his younger sister, Angel Ann, on his lap, while Joseph and Liam were found near their elder brother, apparently having sought refuge as the fire spread.
The children’s father said the family had lost everything in the tragedy. He explained that they had been living in a house whose roofing had been provided with the help of a friend.
Evangelist James Njoroge of The Apostle Church, where the parents had gone for worship, appealed to well-wishers to support the bereaved family as they begin rebuilding their lives.
He proposed mobilising assistance to help the parents acquire a plot and construct a house, following the loss of their children and home.
In a separate incident in Ol Kalou Ward, two children also died after a fire broke out at their home in the afternoon. According to the account provided, their mother had briefly left them to go to the market and was called back after the fire had claimed their lives.
The children were reported to be two and a half years old and six years old. However, the ages in the initial account were unclear.
The children were reportedly burnt beyond recognition. Their remains were taken to Nyahururu County Referral Hospital and JM Hospital, respectively.
Nothing was salvaged from either home, leaving the two families to contend with the devastating loss of their children and property.
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