Would you know what to do in case of fire at home?

Photo:Courtesy

It may have been a case of excited siblings ravishing their time alone; with their mother and father out on errands. However, Jacinta Waithera and Jackline Mundia will never forget the events of that day, more than a decade ago.
“There was no one at home at that time except for us kids,” recalls Jacinta.
The siblings decided to have some ‘fun time’ playing around with their hair. Moments before disaster, Jacinta held on a blow-dry machine; straightening her sister’s hair as they engaged in inconsequential chit-chat.

“Can I try straightening with a match box?” Jacinta joked.
That is when she stroke a matchstick and brushed it through her sister’s hair. Jackline’s hair, heavily emollient with flammable hair oil, burst into flames.
In the midst of the confusion, as Jackline yelled her voice horse, Jacinta moved away for cover. It is only a neighbour who came into the house and covered Jackline with a blanket to smother the flames.
The tragedy didn’t escalate beyond but the scars of the incident are always visible on Jackline’s scalp.