One injured as fire breaks out in Mombasa building

Fire breaks out at a building in Mombasa / Screengrab

A fire at a building in Bandari, Mombasa, was contained after a coordinated response by the Mombasa County Fire Brigade, the Kenya Red Cross and other emergency teams.

The Kenya Red Cross said the blaze broke out in the afternoon, destroying two rooms and partially damaging other sections of the multi-storey building before firefighters managed to suppress the flames.

According to the organisation, one casualty was evacuated to Nairobi Women’s Hospital for treatment. The extent of the injuries was not immediately confirmed.

Emergency responders cordoned off the area as residents and business operators gathered outside the premises.

“A fire at a building adjacent to Quickmart Bandari in Mombasa was brought under control through the joint efforts of the Mombasa County Fire Brigade, the Kenya Red Cross and other emergency responders. One casualty was taken to Nairobi Women’s Hospital, with two rooms destroyed and parts of the building partially damaged,” the Red Cross said in a statement on X.

The incident temporarily disrupted operations in the busy Bandari area, but normal activities resumed after the scene was secured.

Meanwhile, on Saturday evening, a fire broke out at a commercial building along Luthuli Avenue in Nairobi’s Central Business District (CBD), near the Munyu Road junction, triggering panic among traders and pedestrians.

Thick plumes of smoke billowed into the air as people fled the scene for safety.

Several businesses in the densely populated commercial zone were affected, though the full extent of the damage was not immediately clear.

Fire engines and emergency response teams were dispatched to the scene, with firefighters working to contain the blaze and prevent it from spreading to adjacent buildings. By the time of publishing, efforts to extinguish the fire were ongoing.

The Kenya Red Cross confirmed the incident, saying its Red Cross Action Team (RCAT) had been activated to support emergency operations.

“The Nairobi Fire Brigade is on the scene and efforts to extinguish the fire are underway. Our Red Cross Action Team has been activated,” the organisation said in a statement.

There were no immediate reports of injuries or fatalities. Authorities, however, urged motorists and members of the public to avoid the area to allow rescue and containment operations to proceed without disruption.

On January 6, a blaze engulfed a building housing several electronics shops, forcing the closure of businesses along Luthuli Avenue as police maintained a security presence to prevent looting.

The fire caused significant damage, disrupting operations on the busy street and drawing large crowds to the scene. Firefighters later managed to salvage some property, though the cause of the blaze was never established.