Traders counting losses after inferno at Toi market

According to some of the affected traders who spoke to Citizen Digital, the fire broke out at around 1 am after an electrical blow-up in one of the stalls which then spread to many others.

"The fire started around 1 am and the security team has told us that it was caused by an electrical failure," said Kimario.

"I was called around 1 am but I was not able to arrive here at that time and my stall has been burnt down. I used to sell pillows, pillowcases, duvets and many other things. It has affected around 3,000 stalls," said another trader.

Efforts to douse the fire on time turned futile as the traders say that the fire brigade team had limited access into the market and was forced to operate from the main road.

Others have however claimed that three firefighting trucks arrived at the scene but had no water in them.

"They came and they stopped on the road, they didn't help but there is no path to gain access inside the market and there are even gates erected in most places," said one trader.

"How can you bring trucks that have no water, I witnessed it myself, three of them came and they told us that they need to get the water from Nairobi water," said another trader.

The traders say that the fire outbreak was the third to be experienced in the market, now calling on authorities to put up safety measures to avoid similar incidences in the future.