Fire breaks out at Nairobi National Park near Southern Bypass

Fire outbreak at Nairobi National Park. [Nicholas Biwott, Standard]

A fire broke out at Nairobi National Park on Saturday evening, with flames suspected to have started near the Southern Bypass and ICD Road junction, close to Ole Sereni Hotel, before spreading into the park.

Two witnesses who spoke to The Saturday Standard said the fire started at around 5.15pm, with firefighters arriving approximately 30 minutes later as the blaze continued to spread.

One of the witnesses said the fire appeared to be gaining momentum before emergency responders arrived.

“We first noticed the fire around 5.15pm, and within a short time, the flames appeared to be spreading rapidly. Firefighters arrived about 30 minutes later, but the situation was already worrying,” the witness said.

Another witness said the smoke was visible as the fire spread, raising concerns about the extent of the damage to the park.

“The fire was spreading fast, and we could see the smoke rising. We hoped the firefighters would contain it before it reached a larger section of the park,” the second witness said.

A security officer who spoke on condition of anonymity said preliminary, unconfirmed information suggested that street dwellers could have started the fire.

“Investigations are still at an early stage, and we cannot conclusively say what caused the fire. There is suspicion that street dwellers may have started it, but that remains unconfirmed,” the officer told this publication 

Firefighters from the Nairobi County Government initially attempted to contain the blaze from outside the park but were overwhelmed by its rapid spread and were forced to enter the park to intensify their efforts.

The cause of the fire, the extent of the damage and whether any wildlife had been affected had not been established by the time of reporting.