By S, KNA
Property worth millions of shillings was on Monday night reduced to ashes after fire swept through the Shauri area of Embu town, leaving hundreds of traders counting heavy losses.
The inferno, whose cause is yet to be established, broke out at around 9 pm and spread rapidly through the area, which is largely occupied by furniture workshops, timber yards, and showrooms.
Within minutes, the fire swept through the premises destroying finished furniture, raw materials, machinery, and tools, as traders watched helplessly as their years of hard work and investment went up in smoke.
The scene was one of shock and despair, for the traders who suffered a similar fate in 2022 when their businesses were again razed down.
Peter Mwololo, the Chairman of Shauri United Association, said about 300 traders were affected by the inferno, noting that most of them depend entirely on the furniture business as their only source of livelihood.
The traders hit out at the emergency response team from the county government, saying the fire brigade arrived at the scene with insufficient water to effectively fight the blaze, and called on the administration to improve on disaster preparedness and response.
“This fire has destroyed livelihoods. About 300 traders have been affected, yet the fire brigade did not have enough water to put out the flames,” Mwololo lamented.
One of the affected traders, Geoffrey Njeru, said he had invested about Sh.2.6 million in his business, including raw materials, machines, and ready-made furniture that he was scheduled to deliver to clients on
Tuesday
. “I had furniture ready for delivery today. Everything has gone up in flames and I don’t know how I will recover and get back on feet again,” Njeru said.
For Titus Waweru, who has operated a furniture business in the area since year 2, 000, the incident was particularly painful, as it marked the second time his business had been destroyed despite having taken a loan from a Sacco to rebuild.
“I secured a loan to put up the business again, and now it has all been reduced to ashes,” he said, while appealing to the government to come to their aid to enable them rebuild their businesses.
Embu Business Owners Association Chair, Charles Mugambi, called for a thorough investigation into the incident, noting that fire outbreaks in the area have increased over the years.
“We are deeply concerned because these fire incidents are becoming frequent. Authorities must investigate thoroughly to establish the cause and prevent a repeat of such devastating losses,” Mugambi said.
Ends/ Accident/Munyaka/Gikundi
Caption
The aftermath of fire outbreak that destroyed businesses in Embu Town, on Monday, February 2, 2026 night leaving over 300 traders counting losses running into millions.