Authorities: All 58 children safe after fire at Mama Ngina Children’s Home, Kisumu

All 58 children at Mama Ngina Children’s Home in Kisumu are safe following a fire that affected the upper section of a dormitory on Wednesday evening, authorities have confirmed.

Mama Ngina Children’s Home manager, Helen Tuli, said the fire was noticed shortly after the children had finished their afternoon activities.

“At around 4 p.m., a staff member noticed smoke coming from part of the roof and raised an alarm that there was a fire,” she said.

She noted that no children were in the affected upper section at the time, reinforcing suspicions of an electrical fault.

“We thank God for saving the lives of the children. We have 58 children in this facility, and none of them was hurt,” Tuli said.

She thanked the local community from Kibuya Market for their quick response, as well as the county fire brigade, the Kenya Police Service and the Kenya Red Cross for their support.

“We also appreciate the staff and management of Agape Children’s Home for receiving our children and ensuring they are safe,” she added.

Nyanza Regional Commissioner Flora Mworoa said the fire occurred shortly before security officials and members of the regional security team arrived at the facility.

“The upper part of the dormitory has been completely burnt down, but all the children are safe, and none were injured,” she said.

The commissioner also commended the surrounding community for acting quickly and reminded the public of the importance of protecting the facility during emergencies.

Preliminary assessments indicate that the fire may have been caused by an electrical fault, though investigations are ongoing.

“It is suspected to be an electrical fault, but we are yet to establish the exact cause,” the commissioner said.

Authorities said the children will remain at Agape Children’s Home while the county government assesses the damage and decides on next steps, including repairs to the affected facility.