By ERIC JUMA
Three children were burnt to death after a gas cylinder exploded and set a house on fire at Siriwo village in Gem Sub County, Siaya County.
The victims included a seven-month-old baby, a PP2 pupil and a Grade Eight pupil, who were neighbours’ children.
The children were burnt beyond recognition in the incident, which occurred at about 6:30pm.
The bodies were moved to a local mortuary as police launched investigations into the cause of the fire.
The mother of the seven-month-old baby was washing utensils outside the house when the fire broke out.
She said her baby was asleep while the other two children were playing in the sitting room.
“The baby was asleep at the time of the incident while the other victims were playing in the sitting room,” she said.
The woman said she had lit the gas cooker, placed a half-full sufuria of water on it and stepped outside to wash utensils.
She was alerted by distress calls from the children after the house caught fire.
“I could not save anything because the fire had consumed the whole building,” she said.
She raised the alarm, attracting members of the public who watched helplessly as the flames engulfed the house.
John Oloo, a resident who arrived at the scene, said the building was already engulfed in flames.
“When we reached the home, the building was engulfed in flames. Smoke was billowing and the fierce fire had consumed the iron sheets, while the mother of the seven-month-old baby was crying uncontrollably,” said Oloo.
Siaya County Commissioner Norbat Komora confirmed the incident, saying police had launched investigations into the fire that claimed three lives and destroyed a house belonging to Agutu, a teacher at Sinaga.
“The fire is suspected to have resulted from a gas cylinder explosion,” said Komora.
The tragedy comes days after a similar incident in Homa Bay County in which two children were burnt beyond recognition after a gas cylinder exploded at their home in Ligodho.
The two victims, aged three and five, were reportedly in their grandmother’s house when the fire broke out.
Their grandmother managed to escape from the burning house but was unable to rescue the children or save any of her property.
