Traders have lost their wares after a fire razed down a section of Taveta Market on Friday.
The inferno, witnesses said, broke out at wee hours of Friday morning and spread across the small stalls near Taveta bus park.
Hundreds of stalls with wholesale goods, food kiosks and gas refilling businesses were burnt down.
Speaking at the scene, Taveta subcounty police boss Lawrence Marwa said the fire was contained after more than four hours.
Nothing was rescued.
"A collaboration between the public, Red Cross officers and police helped contain the inferno after hours of struggle," Marwa noted.
He said the fire was huge due to multiple explosion of gas cylinders.
The police boss decried the lack of fire fighting machine in the area, noting that the inferno could have been contained on time.
"There is no even a single fire extinguisher. Only county government water trucks were available to help," he said.
A fire station is currently under construction in Voi town.
Marwa said the cause of the fire had not been established and that police had launched an investigation.
He, however, said the area has a number of small hotels, which could have been the source of the fire.
Trader Fred Mnene lashed out at the government for neglecting the business community.
He said the lack of extinguishers posed a big risk for businesses in the area.
"We pay all the required land rates and permits on time, but the county government is continuously failing us," he said.
This is not the first time the county government is caught unaware by fire tragedies.
On February 18, 2018, a similar fire razed down a section of the Taveta wholesale market.
On February 3, 2019, several business premises in Voi town caught fire destroying millions of property.
Edited by E.Kibii
