Residents of Meru County were left in shock after four family members died on Sunday morning in a fire that razed down their house at Murimanjoo Village in South Imenti, Meru County.
The four; a man, his wife and their two children, were sleeping when the fire broke out at around 4am.
Mr Eric Guantai, 41, his wife Caroline Gakii, 36, and their two boys Masters Tony Mwenda, 12, and Christian Karani were burnt beyond recognition when their house made of timber caught fire.
Their bodies were found huddled together in the parents’ bedroom in what appears as an attempt by them to rescue their children.
A relative, Mr Robert Mwirigi, said they were woken up by screams at around 3.30am but were unable to put out the fierce fire.
“We tried to put it out using water but it was too fierce fuelled by the wind. By the time we retrieved them, they had died,” said Mr Mwirigi.
The fire also partly burnt two vehicles.
According to relatives of the deceased, the entire family was wiped out as the couple had only two children aged 12 and 6.
The cause of the fire could not be immediately established.
The bodies of the deceased were moved to Consolata Hospital Nkubu.
May God take control over everything!
Rest in peace to those four souls.— Jnst. Oriwo Samuel (@SamuelOriwo) April 21, 2019
After the incident, Meru Chief of Staff Gideon Kimathi, Nkuene MCA Martin Koome Makasi and Assembly Majority Leader Victor Karithi, a relative of the killed family, visited their kin to offer condolences.
“As a colleague (of Mr Karithi) we are hard hit by this tragedy,” said Mr Kimathi.
May their souls rest in peace!