A night-time fire at a garage off Ole Dume Road in Kilimani, Nairobi, destroyed more than 50 vehicles and left mechanics and vehicle owners counting their losses.
The blaze broke out at the garage during the night, prompting an emergency response from the Nairobi County Disaster Management Centre.
Police said they do not yet know the cause of the fire, but investigations are ongoing.
No lives were lost in the blaze, Nairobi police boss Issa Mohamud said.
Nairobi County official Geoffrey Mosiria said emergency teams were dispatched immediately after receiving a distress call about the fire.
Mosiria said he visited the scene and coordinated the response with disaster management officers, local residents and mechanics at the garage.
Several vehicles inside the facility were extensively damaged, with some reportedly reduced to ashes.
According to Mosiria, firefighters and emergency teams took more than four hours to contain the blaze because of the nature of materials involved.
He said the fire involved vehicles, petrol and other highly flammable materials stored inside the garage, making the firefighting operation difficult and dangerous.
The presence of fuel and other combustible materials heightened the risks faced by emergency personnel as they battled to contain the flames and prevent the fire from spreading.
Mosiria commended Nairobi County Disaster Management officers for their efforts in containing the fire and thanked residents and mechanics who assisted during the emergency response.
He expressed sympathy to the mechanics and vehicle owners affected by the incident, saying the county recognised the losses they had suffered.
The fire comes amid continued concerns over fire safety in Nairobi, particularly in garages, workshops and other businesses where flammable materials are stored or used.
County emergency teams have repeatedly urged businesses and property owners to observe fire safety requirements and ensure that petrol, gas and other combustible substances are handled and stored safely.
