Love brewed when tragedy strike and how it's amazing

Have you seen this kind of love? By Dorothy Odondi Kenyans are proving beyond measure that they love and care for each other. In moments of a tragedy they have lent helping hands to victims affected without considering their origin.

 The massive positive response has been witnessed whenever accidents occur and blood donation is needed for injured victims. In moments like these, they have put politics aside and considered humanity a priority. I did witness a fire tragedy last week that got me astonished by the actions that took place.

Fire broke out at my residential area exactly where I stay, that is Wanyee Setlite at Dagorretti North ward. It started a little just with white smoke. Many of us were indoors as it is; the holiday season has just ended. The moment one of my neighbors saw white smoke and shouted, calling names, fire, we came out running. Immediately we ran back for water.

We got water from every source we would pour on the burning house in order to put out the fire. Little did we know that it had started in the next house. We poured basins and buckets of water as much as we could, but it all went in vain. Shout and I’ll be there The fire got bigger and bigger. The moment we got overwhelmed by the raging fire, everyone around was shouting in loud voices calling for help.

Residents from other plots streamed in minute by minute. Youths around came in running from within the area and even from far. That’s when I realized the how these young men who many think are idle and are the bad boys in estates have very deep hearts.

These boys risked their lives pouring water on extremely raging fire as much as they could. It is one thing to draw and bring water but it is another thing to pour it on a blaze of fire. I too did pour water, but when the fire was still with little flames and white smoke.

It takes a lot of strength to hold breath for long where a huge fire is burning. These young men are strong, besides pouring water they helped in saving properties in houses that were in the line where the fire spread.

Some sought for fire brigade’s help since it had reached a point that required professional help. While these boys and men helped, robbers took advantage of the situation too by picking saved properties taking them to where they know themselves; probably to sell at a throwaway price.

Even though fire spread faster and we got overwhelmed, I congratulate the boys and men who helped, this shows how we love each other. The route course Fire spread faster and alarmingly. The fire that was initially burning only three houses, spread within a short while. When I saw this immediately I made up my mind.

I took my two little kids out of the plot to the next to make sure they were safe. Scores of people filled the compound and the neighboring area within a short time. Others were watching from their balconies at distances. The raging fire was massive. At times it exploded with huge blast and people ran away.

Victims who could not save anything literally cried for their loss. Eventually, we learnt of what had caused the fire. A young girl at about age 14 confessed to some neighbors that the fire had started from their house, which was in the middle.

 Instead of calling for help she first called her mother who was not around telling her about the fire. It was already late before she cut the call because the fire had spread and she was unable to stop it. This could be the reason why we could not put out the burning fire.

We poured water on the wrong house where the fire did not start, giving a chance to the house in the middle where the fire started, to spread rapidly. The fire brigades took a while to arrive.

Our main concern is for us to know how to put it out before it spreads wider. A twelve-year-old child in Kenya today should be able to know the kind of methods on how to put out a fire or rather what to do whenever he/she happens to spot dangerous fire burning anywhere around them. This could help save property or life loss.