Three children were burnt to death after a newly purchased gas cylinder reportedly exploded and triggered a fire at a homestead in Mahoma Village, Gem Sub-County, Siaya County.
The incident happened on Monday, September 21, 2026, at the home of a teacher at St Mary’s Yala National School, police said.
Preliminary investigations indicate that the mother of one of the children had purchased a new 13-kilogramme gas cylinder from an unknown manufacturer.
She was reportedly preparing a meal in the house in the company of her three-year-old daughter and two children from a neighbouring family when she lit the gas cylinder.
The cylinder allegedly erupted into huge flames, sparking panic inside the house.
The woman managed to run outside while calling for help, leaving the three children inside.
As the fire rapidly spread through the house, the children reportedly ran into a bedroom.
Neighbours who responded to the distress call tried to contain the flames but were unable to put out the fire.
The three children were trapped inside and burnt beyond recognition.
They were identified as Maryreta Odhiambo, 3, Maxwell Omondi Ochieng, 7, and John Omondi, 12.
Maxwell was a Grade One pupil at Kararwo Pro School, while John was a Grade Seven pupil at Kagilo Primary School. The two boys were children from a neighbouring family.
Household property whose value had not been established was also completely destroyed in the fire.
Crime Scene Investigation officers later processed and documented the scene before the three bodies were removed and taken to Yala Level IV Hospital mortuary.
The bodies are being preserved pending postmortem examinations and DNA testing to aid in definitive identification.
Police said they, together with other agencies, were investigating the incident.
Nine-year-old dies from Homa Bay fire injuries
In a separate incident, a nine-year-old boy who suffered severe burns in a house fire in Homa Bay County died while undergoing treatment at a hospital in Kisii, police said.
The boy, Ian, succumbed to his injuries on Monday morning while receiving specialised treatment at Chiromo Hospital in Kisii.
Police said he had sustained burns covering about 70 per cent of his body during a fire at his family home on September 17, 2026.
He was initially admitted to Homa Bay County Teaching and Referral Hospital before being transferred to the Kisii facility for specialised treatment.
Following his death, his body was returned to the Homa Bay County Teaching and Referral Hospital mortuary.
Police said a postmortem examination was conducted on Ian’s body alongside that of his late sister, who also died following the same fire incident.
Investigations into the circumstances surrounding the fire and the deaths are ongoing.
