2 KDF soldiers hospitalised after fire burns part of KOFC store in Eldoret

Officials are investigating an incident in which two Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) soldiers were injured and admitted to hospital after a fire broke out at the Kenya Ordnance Factories Corporation (KOFC) headquarters in Turbo, Uasin Gishu County.

Three other soldiers were treated and discharged following the Thursday, November 20, 2025, incident, according to police and military authorities.

Officials said the fire started after an explosion in one of the magazine storehouses that contained gunpowder used in the production of bullets.

The blaze reportedly spread rapidly in the early hours of Thursday.

Some soldiers at the base said the area had experienced two power blackouts prior to the incident.

Authorities did not immediately confirm whether this was linked to the fire, noting that investigations are ongoing.

The fire destroyed more than 16 tonnes of assorted gunpowder, a podium and other items, with an estimated value of about Sh300 million, officials reported.

It was contained shortly after midnight.

Three KDF personnel were taken to hospital due to suffocation and later discharged, while two others remained admitted in stable condition.

Police, fire brigade units and Kenya Power and Lighting Company officials visited the scene as part of the ongoing probe.

KOFC is a State corporation under the Ministry of Defence mandated to manufacture hardware, machinery and equipment, including military products.

In a separate incident, two people died in a fire at Fuata Nyayo area in Mariguini, Nairobi. Their bodies were discovered on Thursday after the fire had already swept through several structures. The cause of the blaze had not been established at the time.

Police said more than 150 structures were destroyed. Local residents and fire brigade teams worked to contain the fire, during which the bodies—believed to be male—were found burnt beyond recognition.

The remains were taken to the mortuary for identification and autopsy.

Authorities note that fires in informal settlements often turn fatal due to high population density and limited access roads, which hinder swift emergency response.

Efforts are underway to improve road access in such areas.