Two children died on Sunday after fire gutted their home in Changamwe Constituency in Mombasa County.
The twins were left inside the house by their mother at night when fire broke out.
According to the children’s mother, Mercy Atieno, she left the house briefly to answer the call of nature.
When she returned, the house was already on fire after a gas cylinder in the house caught fire and exploded as property of unknown value was destroyed.
“The neighbors were alerted and we tried to put out the fire but it was too late. They died in the fire,” she said.
Efforts by the locals and the fire department to put out the fire were futile as the fire team accused the tenants and area residents of taking long before reporting the matter to the firefighters.
Mombasa county inspectorate team, led by its director Mohammed Amir visited the scene and said they had difficulties accessing the site of the fire because of structures put up the area residents.
“Am urging locals to stop constructing structures along pathways, blocking pathways that could be used by fire engines during such incidents,” said Mr Amir.