Efforts to fight a swarm of bees resulted in the razing down of property worth millions in Gitaru, Kikuyu, Kiambu County.
Reports show that the fire that started at around 6pm on Thursday and lasted for more than seven hours, was as a result of a tyre that had been lit to chase away bees.
According to an eyewitness, an unidentified man, lit the tyre to chase away bees that had taken refuge in a tree near his premises.
“It happened so fast. Unfortunately, the ensuing fire spread to a hardware store next to a petrol station, resulting in a major fire that spread to the adjacent residential flats, engulfing the entire topmost floor,” he said.
Another witness said, “I had just arrived from work and was about to cross the road when I heard a loud explosion from inside the hardware store and what followed was a huge fire” .
Nancy, one of the matatu owners whose vehicle was rescued from the scene said; “We had just had supper and were settling in to watch the 9pm news when my husband received a call informing him to hurry and go remove his matatu from the parking before it got burnt.”
Efforts by residents to put off the fire using soil and water didn’t help.
Luckily, no one was hurt in the incident.
At around 11pm, the fire brigade had battled the fire for more than two hours.