Nairobi's Nakumatt Supermarket Downtown goes up in flames in Nairobi, Kenya, January 28, 2009.Reuters
The hearing of an inquest into the death of 29 people at Nakumatt Downtown supermarket in Nairobi was yesterday adjourned until December 8.
Milimani chief magistrate Francis Andayi put off the case after Lawyer M.Musyoki who is watching brief for Nakumatt failed to appear in court.
The court was informed that the lawyer was engaged in another matter at the Supreme Court.
Prosecuting,senior state counsel Solomon Naulikha told the court that investigating officer Emmanuel Ng'etich was ready with three witness among them a pathologist.
Twenty nine people, among them five Nakummatt staff died during the January 28,2009 fire tragedy which was caused by the alleged powerful explosion from what was suspected were gas cylinders.
After investigations led by detective Ngetich
currently attached to Nairobi Area CID it was recommended a public inquest be conducted in an open court unless otherwise".
During the last hearing
a senior officer from Electrical engineering department of the former Ministry of Public Works
completed his testimony in the inquest.
Danson M. Kimathi, who is chief
electrical engineering officer from the former public works in his evidence in chief had produced a report of their findings during investigations by the Electrical engineering department.
In his report which he produced before the inquest the than trial magistrate Kiarie Waweru Kiarie now a High Court judge, the officer concluded in his report dated February 23,2009 that as per the evidence gathered at the scene and physical examination the probable cause of the fire may have originated from fuel vapours or gas coming in contact with hot exhaust pipe of the generator or sparks emanating from contacts during change over from DC to AC could have ignited the hot vapours.
The witness told the court that on January 29,2009 his boss instructed him and his colleagues to proceed at the scene where Nakumatt Downtown situated at the junction of Kenyatta Avenue along Kimathi street, Nairobi, had collapsed following fire incident.
He said they started investigation and later prepared the findings. Kimathi said he also gave recommendation that all personnel who occupy buildings should be trained on how to prevent or fight fires evacuate from the building in case of emergency.
Kimathi said that other recommendation included, fire fighting equipment should be provided and put in the right place. Also security guards should be advised to be making frequent visit to all places and not sit one point.
The report also says fire alarm systems should be put in place to alert the occupants in case of emergency. And lastly all exit doors should be locked in the open position and kept clear.
So far elven witnesses, including Nakumatt downtown director
Atul Maganial Shah have testified in the inquest.
Earlier the court heard that on January 28,2009, at about 2.30pm inside the supermarket, a smoke was seen emanating from the generator room which was stationed on the ground floor near the stairs which lead to mezzanine floor.
The witnesses told the court that the supermarket was a single store building. They said immediately there after, an explosion was heard which allegedly caused a blackout within the entire building.
The court heard that efforts were made by the staffs to extinguish the fire but were overcome by it.
The court heard that during the evacuation exercise those shoppers and staffs who were at the ground floor managed to escape using the entrance and exit doors, but the fate of the shoppers and staffs who were upstairs on the mezzanine floor could not be immediately established.
They said that the supermarket management quickly conducted the city fire brigade who responded immediately and started to fight the fierce fire emanating from the building.
The court heard that it took the combined force of at least to ten fire engines from Nairobi city council, the Kenya Air force, the Kenya Airport Authority, Nairobi fire services and the G.4.S Security firm to control the inferno but it was all in vain.
The witnesses told the court that a huge smoke was witnessed blowing from the building followed by powerful explosions from what may suspected were gas cylinders stored in the supermarket.
It was said that nearby streets were engulfed in the smoke making visibility almost impossible. "The scene had attracted hundreds of curious lookers and desperate relatives in search of their loved ones:, said witnesses.
The fire fighting exercise continued for three consecutive days without any fruitful success. The 29 people were badly burnt bodies were found at the upstairs on the mezzanine floor trapped in the debris.
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