By H, KNA
An inferno tore through the Administration Police (AP) Commander’s office in Kericho East on
Thursday , crippling operations and destroying property of undetermined value.
The blaze is reported to have originated from an extension of Maroon Hotel located within the same building before spreading to the AP Commander’s office and rapidly engulfing sections of the administrative block.
Maroon hotel is an AP canteen rented out for over 20 years to a private person who has been operating it as a restaurant.
While confirming the incident, Kericho East AP Commander Mr. Daniel Morogo stated that the blaze, whose cause remains under investigation, erupted at approximately 11:20 p.m.
He explained that officers from the nearby camp were the first to respond and attempted to contain the fire before the arrival of fire engines. However, the flames had intensified, making it difficult to control the situation.
“I was alerted by officers who were on duty that there was a fire at the hotel. We immediately contacted firefighters from the Kericho County Government and Browns Company,” said Morogo.
He stated that a County Government fire engine responded promptly to the alert, with an additional emergency team from Browns Company arriving at approximately 11:40 p.m., and that the two teams worked in coordination to contain the inferno, which was successfully extinguished at around 12:45 a.m.
Morogo confirmed that the damage to the office was substantial, with computers and other equipment reduced to ashes. However, officers managed to salvage critical files and some office furniture during the emergency response.
“Everything in the hotel was burnt down, and the damage was extreme, with the AP offices also suffering significant destruction,” he said.
He confirmed that no injuries were reported among police officers, firefighters, or members of the public who responded to the incident, noting that while some experienced minor smoke inhalation and coughing, all were assessed during debriefing and found to be in stable condition.
Morogo said an inter-agency team, including representatives from Kenya Power and the Public Service Commission, is expected to undertake a comprehensive evaluation to establish the cause of the fire and determine the extent and value of the damage.
“As of now, we cannot ascertain the exact value of the property destroyed until we receive the assessment report and engage the owner of the hotel,” he stated.
Officers from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCIO), Kenya Power, the Kenya Red Cross emergency team, and officials from the county government were at the scene conducting assessments.
