Toi Market in Nairobi’s Kibera area was engulfed by fire early on Saturday morning, once again leaving traders to tally their losses. The blaze, which started around 4 a.m., is suspected to have been caused by an electrical fault in one of the market’s wooden structures. The rapid spread of the flames has been attributed to the market’s highly flammable construction materials and limited fire safety measures.
Witnesses and traders on the ground reported that the fire began from an electrical fault, rapidly consuming nearby stalls and spreading throughout the market. “An electric fault in one of the wooden houses caused the fire early this morning,” one trader stated. Despite the efforts of the Nairobi County Government firefighters, who arrived several hours after the fire had already spread, the damage was extensive.
This incident is not an isolated event. Toi Market has suffered from recurrent fires over the years, each time causing significant financial losses to the traders. The market’s history with fire dates back several years, marking a disturbing pattern that has left traders and the local community in distress.
The most recent major fire occurred in June 2023, when traders awoke to find their properties worth millions of shillings reduced to ashes. Before that, in November 2021, another fire swept through the market, destroying a substantial section of stalls and leaving traders with heavy losses. The frequency of these incidents is a cause for concern, highlighting ongoing issues with fire safety and market infrastructure.
Toi Market’s vulnerability to fire is compounded by a range of factors. One significant issue is the lack of adequate access roads, which hampers the prompt response of emergency services. This has been a recurring problem, as evidenced by previous incidents where slow response times exacerbated the damage. In 2018, the market experienced three major fires, prompting then-President Uhuru Kenyatta to demand investigations and accountability for the recurring incidents.
The June 2018 fire was particularly tragic, resulting in the loss of 15 lives and injuring at least 60 people. This disaster occurred in a section of the market dealing with timber and clothes, areas that were especially vulnerable due to the highly flammable nature of their stock.
In addition to the immediate impact on traders, the recurring fires at Toi Market underscore broader issues related to market management and safety protocols. The market’s wooden structures, dense layout, and lack of adequate fire prevention measures contribute to the rapid spread of fires and the severe damage they cause. Efforts to address these issues have been inadequate, leaving the market and its traders exposed to continuous risk.
As Nairobi grapples with these repeated disasters, there is an urgent need for comprehensive reforms in market safety and infrastructure. Ensuring the installation of fire-resistant materials, improving access roads, and implementing robust fire prevention and response strategies are critical steps in preventing future tragedies.
In the wake of this latest fire, the traders of Toi Market are once again faced with the daunting task of rebuilding their livelihoods from the ashes. The community’s resilience will be tested as they navigate the aftermath of this disaster, hoping for a future where their market is protected from the ravages of fire and they can operate in a safer environment.
