Marurui residents in Nairobi County woke up to ashes on Sunday after an early morning fire swept through the area and left traders counting losses worth millions of shillings.
The blaze, which broke out before dawn, razed stalls, shops, and stored goods, wiping out livelihoods that many families had built over years.
By sunrise, traders were sifting through charred metal and burnt stock, trying to salvage anything that remained.
“Everything is gone. I had just restocked last week,” said one trader who lost her small kiosk and all her merchandise.
For many, the market is more than a place of business it pays school fees, rent, and daily meals.
Residents said emergency teams arrived and managed to contain the fire after about an hour and a half, but by then most of the property had already been destroyed.
Some complained that narrow access roads made it hard for fire engines to get in quickly, a challenge that has come up in other Nairobi markets too.
Local leaders have been urged to visit Marurui and support affected traders with recovery plans, just as county officials have done for other fire-hit markets this month.
For now, families in Marurui are left to pick up the pieces, hoping for help to rebuild and prevent another such loss.
