Domestic row turns deadly as mother, two children die in Huruma fire

Fire incident

Three people, including two children, died early Monday morning after a fire broke out in a one-room house following a domestic dispute in Huruma, Nairobi.

According to police, the incident was reported at around 12:03 am by a resident from the Mbuthia area.

Police who rushed to the scene established that a man had entered the house, locked the door from inside, and started fighting with his wife.

The wife screamed for help, attracting the attention of neighbours who quickly gathered outside the house.

When the man realised that angry residents were about to break into the house, he allegedly opened a gas cylinder and struck a match, igniting a fire that rapidly spread inside the room.

Members of the public eventually managed to contain the blaze, Nairobi police boss Issa Mohamud said.

However, two children aged about two and five years and a 26-year-old woman died from suspected gas inhalation and burn injuries.

The husband and wife sustained serious burn injuries and were initially rushed to MSF Hospital before being referred to Kenyatta National Hospital for specialised treatment.

Police said the bodies of the victims were moved to Nairobi City Mortuary awaiting post-mortem examinations.

In a separate incident, a 68-year-old man died after he was struck with a bottle during a fight along Moi Avenue in Nairobi’s Central Business District.

Police said the incident occurred at about 3:30 am near the Ambassadeurs stage along Moi Avenue.

According to police officers who were on patrol in the area, they received information from members of the public that three men, believed to be intoxicated, had picked a disagreement that escalated into a fight.

During the altercation, one of the men allegedly struck another on the head above the left ear using an empty bottle before fleeing the scene together with the third suspect.

The victim, later identified as Antony Muchai Kiriga, was left lying on the ground writhing in pain.

Police officers rushed to the scene and contacted an ambulance emergency response team.

Paramedics found the victim still conscious and began administering first aid, but he succumbed to his injuries while still at the scene.

The body was moved to Nairobi Funeral Home for preservation pending further investigations.

Police said efforts are underway to trace the suspects who fled after the attack.

Elsewhere, a woman’s body was on Saturday morning discovered in an open field in the Mihang’o area along the Eastern Bypass in Nairobi, prompting a murder investigation.

According to police, the body of the unidentified woman, believed to be about 30 years old, was found lying approximately 300 metres from Eagles Business Centre.

Police said the body had visible injuries on the left side of the face, suspected to have been caused by a blunt object.

Blood was also observed oozing from both ears, indicating possible severe head trauma.

Preliminary assessments by investigators suggest the woman may have been killed elsewhere before her body was dumped at the site, which lies on open land belonging to the Kenya Defence Forces under the 75 Garrison.

The body was discovered by herders who were grazing animals in the area before the matter was reported to the business centre management.

No identification documents were recovered from the deceased, making it difficult for police to immediately establish her identity.

The body was moved to a nearby mortuary as detectives launched investigations to determine the circumstances surrounding the woman’s death and to trace those responsible.