Traders at Gikomba Market are staring at huge losses after a massive fire broke out in the early hours of Sunday morning, destroying goods worth millions of shillings. The fire started at around 4 am in one section of the busy market before quickly spreading to nearby stalls, leaving many business owners in shock.
Videos seen by this publication show thick smoke and huge flames lighting up the sky as traders who were already at the scene watched helplessly. Some traders had arrived early to prepare for the day's business only to find their livelihoods going up in smoke before their very eyes.
At the time of publishing, authorities had not yet established what caused the fire. However, the intensity of the blaze suggests it may have started from the fish market section, according to early reports. The Kenya Red Cross Society confirmed the incident by 5:30 am, saying emergency response teams had been rushed to the scene to contain the fire.
The humanitarian agency stated that the fire is believed to have started near the fish side area before spreading rapidly to other stalls. "A huge fire has been reported at Gikomba Market near the fish side area. Response teams are at the scene," the Kenya Red Cross said in a statement.
This fire has hit traders hard, especially those who depend on the market as their only source of income. Many are now counting heavy losses, with some saying they have lost everything they worked for over many years.
Gikomba Market has suffered several fire outbreaks over the years, raising fresh concerns about safety at the crowded trading hub. Past incidents have been blamed on electrical faults, overcrowding, and even claims of arson, though authorities have always warned against jumping to conclusions before investigations are complete.
Investigators are now expected to work on establishing the real cause of the fire, and authorities say they will give more updates as they continue with their assessments.
Interestingly, this latest fire comes at a time when the county government is pushing ahead with a multi-billion-shilling plan to modernise the market. In March this year, county officials started demolishing sections of the market to make room for the redevelopment, a move that was met with resistance from some traders.
The government has set aside between Ksh3 billion and Ksh5 billion for the project, which aims to turn Gikomba into a modern and sustainable trading centre. The first phase of construction is expected to be completed before the end of the year. However, this fire is likely to add more pressure on authorities to speed up the modernisation plans and address safety concerns once and for all.
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