By John Lepeto
Makutano traders in West Pokot Sunday lost properties worth millions after fire reduced their shops into ashes.
The traders who unsuccessfully tried to put out the fire faulted the county government fire fighters over failure to respond in time.
The cause of the fire that razed cloth stalls, hotels and welding workshops is yet to be established.
The business people said the loss had occasioned suffering to them as they had no other source of income.
“This is too much on us. We do not know how we will provide for our families and offset loans that we are owed,” one of them said.
The fire engine that was being sourced from Trans Nzoia took over three hours to arrive at the scene and the fire had already consumed everything.
It is claimed the engine developed some mechanical issues and that it was not stocked with enough water even though residents said the county was slow in responding to emergencies.
