At least 62 families in Charanga ward, Yumbe Town Council, were left homeless, when fire gutted the main market on Saturday morning.
By Ahmed Angulibo and Jamal AbdiAt least 62 families in Charanga ward, Yumbe Town Council, were left homeless, when fire gutted the main market on Saturday morning.A total of 57 grass-thatched houses and property worth millions of shillings was gutted by the fire that broke out at around 11:15am, the LC1 chairman, Guy Nasur, said.He said a market cleaner started the fire when he set garbage on fire. the blazing fire then got blown to a pit latrine and rapidly spread to the residential huts, including teachers’ quarters, which also burst into flames.Yumbe primary school deputy headmaster Benson Alekua said in a February 16 letter to the Yumbe Town council mayor, Kassim Lemeriga, that seven of the teachers huts, including that of the headmaster, Maale Mobi, got destroyed.He said the affected teachers are residing in a classroom. Alekua said the incident could have been averted if the town council authorities had addressed the problem of garbage disposal.