Gichugu man, 80, burnt beyond recognition in house inferno

Mzee Christopher Mwaniki, from Kegwa village, was consumed by the fire which broke out on Friday night.

Villagers, led by John Kimotho and Teresiah Wanjira, said the blaze was sudden and unexpected, and it took some time before they could establish the source of the flames.

“We heard the relatives of the deceased raising the alarm, but we couldn’t immediately tell where the screams were coming from until I received a call from the family,” said Teresiah Wanjira.

John Kimotho, a neighbour, said he heard the deceased’s daughter, Jane Wawira, crying out and quickly mobilised other villagers to help put out the fire. However, their efforts were unsuccessful, as Mzee Christopher Mwaniki had already succumbed to the flames.

His house was completely engulfed in fire, and his body was burned beyond recognition.

“I could not believe Mzee Christopher Mwaniki was gone. We tried to help him, but his wooden house was still burning,” Kimotho said.

The deceased’s granddaughter, Mary Wanjiru, expressed shock and disbelief upon receiving the news.

“I live about three kilometres from here. I was woken up at around 11:30 p.m. and told that my grandfather had died in the fire. I was so shocked I couldn’t even walk until my neighbour came to help me. I still can’t believe he is gone,” she said.

Detectives from Kirinyaga East Sub-County arrived at the scene and launched investigations into the incident.

The remains of Mzee Christopher Mwaniki were taken to Embu Level 5 Hospital Mortuary, where a post-mortem examination is expected to be conducted as the family prepares for his burial.

The cause of the fire remains unknown, and investigations are ongoing.