Court told fire fighters did not respond to Sinai fire on time

James Njeru, a Sinai fire survivor, is assisted by Sakina Stella of St Johns Ambulance Wednesday after he broke down while watching a video footage on the disaster at the Milimani Law Courts. He lost his mother in the fire.  [PHOTO: FIDELIS KABUNYI/STANDARD]

By KURIAN MUSA

Nairobi, Kenya: Video evidence produced in court showed that the fire brigade took long to respond to the Sinai fire disaster.

The video, which was recorded with the help of Nairobi Senator Gideon Mbuvi, showed Wednesday that the fire brigade took over 30 minutes to arrive at the scene as residents made frantic efforts to put off the fire.

In the footage, a casualty is heard shouting, “The City Council fire brigade is nowhere.” Mbuvi, a witness in the case in which the survivors are demanding Sh25 billion compensation, testified that he arrived in Sinai less than 15 minutes after the fire incident began.

“My team has recorded even accidents and other tragic events. This is not the first one. I began this when I was Makadara legislator,” Mbuvi said in defence of the video. 

Meanwhile, the Judiciary was forced to hire ambulances and medical personal to assist witnesses testifying in the case. Six first-aid personnel and counsellors hired from St Johns Ambulance were present in court.

Justice David Majanja had ordered the Deputy Registrar of the Judiciary to hire the medics after a witness collapsed moments after he began testifying. The case will proceed on April 14, 15 and 16.