Barclays bank explains cause Muranga branch fire

Detectives at Murang'a Barclay's Bank after a mysterious fire (Photo:Boniface Gikandi)

MURANGA, KENYA: A building housing Murang'a Branch of Barclay's Bank went up in flames, on Monday a day after three of the bank's branches in Nairobi lost Sh12million from their automated machines.

The fire erupted shortly after 2 pm. It started from the bank's kitchen but was contained before it spread to other rooms. The cause has not yet been established.

The bank is housed by Murang' a Farmers Cooperative Union (Mugama) building, that also hosts lawyer chambers, Amica Sacco, among other offices.

Smoke was spotted billowing from the bank by the residents who raised the alarm that led to the mobilisation of police and Murang'a county government rescue crew.

The bank is barely less than 500 metres from the headquarters of County government rescue team offices.

It took a while for the fire to be contained, as police had to wait for bank officials to open the facility, to help locate the source.

An eye witness told The Standard that the fire could have started inside the bank as other offices located in the basement were out of danger.

Barclays Bank Kenya linked the fire to an electric fault in one of the air conditioning machines. “Smoke from the faulty machine set off the fire alarm and fire brigade responded immediately.” The branch was closed for Easter holidays at the time of the incident.