Retired Kenya soldier's kin left homeless as fire guts house

A woman goes through the debris of what was left after the house of a  just retired Military Officer  Mr. Gitari Mukono was razed to the ground on Wenesday evening by a fierce fire at Ngungu village , Kirinyaga County. [PHOTO: MUNENE KAMAU/STANDARD]

The family of a recently retired military officer has been left in the cold after his house was burnt down on Wednesday evening at Ngungu village in Kirinyaga County.

Gitari Mukono said he lost all his household belongings in the fire whose cause is yet to be established.

He said his grandchild is lucky to be alive after she came home from school and opened the door to change her school uniform, only to be met by a huge fire from the room.

“I thank God my six-year-old granddaughter is alive after she came face-to-face with the fire emanating from her room and ran out calling her grandmother who was within the homestead,” said Gitari.

LOUD EXPLOSIONS

He said the inferno, which broke out shortly after 5pm, spread to the whole semi-permanent house and was accompanied by several loud explosions.

Gitari said he was grateful to God that no one was injured during the incident.

A fire engine that arrived at the scene moments later was overwhelmed by the fierce flames which consumed the timber structure within a short time.

The engine ran out of water and by the time it returned after a refill, the house had been reduced to ashes.

Kirinyaga East sub-county OCPD George Kingi, while confirming the incident yesterday said, “We suspect either a gas cylinder or an electric fault caused the fire,” he said.