Brothers perish in morning fire

A woman in Ntumu village yesterday lost her twin sons in a house fire.

Ann Nkatha said she left the three-and-a-half-year-old boys asleep at around 7am and went to buy milk in the neighbourhood only to be alerted by neighbours that her house was on fire.

Maara police boss Johnston Kabusia said officers from Ntumu Police Station, 50 metres from the scene, and the county fire brigade found Brian Mawira and Ian Mwenda already dead.

"We could not help as we found the two had already been reduced to ashes," he said.

Investigations have been launched into the incident. Mr Kabusia however said there were indications the fire was caused by a paraffin stove the mother had left on in the house.

Kabusia asked residents to avoid leaving burning stoves in their houses.

County fire department co-ordinator Alex Mugambi asked residents to always call his team in good time in the event of fire.

The bodies were taken to the Chuka County Referral Hospital mortuary.