Elderly woman dies in house fire in Vihiga

A 96-year-old woman died on Tuesday night after she was trapped inside her burning house at Lwombei village in Vihiga County.

Edina Kasungu, who lived alone, is suspected to have lit a fire inside the house to keep herself warm at night before the flames spread and engulfed the structure.

Efforts to rescue her were unsuccessful, with the fire  consuming the house and leaving her trapped inside.

The incident has left the family and residents in shock, raising concerns over the safety of elderly people living alone.

The woman’s son, John Nyambasi, mourned his mother, describing her death as a painful loss to the family.

“It is very painful to lose our mother in such a tragic manner. We are still struggling to come to terms with her death,” Nyambasi said.

Her body was later taken to the Vihiga County Referral Hospital Mortuary as police continued investigations into the incident.

Silas Lugovane, the assistant chief of Galona, said authorities had launched investigations to establish the circumstances surrounding the fire and the woman’s death.

“We have commenced investigations to establish what caused the fire and the circumstances that led to the death of the woman,” Lugovane said.

The tragedy has renewed calls for families and communities to pay greater attention to elderly people, particularly those who live alone and may require assistance with daily activities.

Local elder Joel Omoke urged families not to leave ageing parents isolated, saying regular visits and close monitoring could help prevent accidents and other dangers.

Omoke said elderly people could be particularly vulnerable to household accidents, especially when using fire or other heating methods at night. He called on relatives to ensure they have safer ways of keeping warm.

“We should regularly check on elderly relatives and neighbours, especially at night, while ensuring that cooking and heating fires are safely handled,” said Omoke.

Residents were also cautioned against leaving open fires unattended inside houses, particularly where occupants are elderly or may have difficulty escaping in case of an emergency.