MP Dawood Faults Delayed Fire Response After Blaze Razes Prison Warders’ Houses
Imenti North Member of Parliament Rahim Dawood has voiced concern over a fire incident at Meru Main and Women Prison that destroyed seven houses occupied by prison warders, leaving several families homeless and their property lost.
Speaking at the prison on Wednesday, Dawood said the fire broke out in the staff quarters on Tuesday night and is suspected to have been caused by an electrical fault. He lamented that despite alerts being made, the county fire brigade failed to arrive in time to stop the inferno.
North Imenti MP Rahim Dawood visiting the ruins
“We have been informed that the fire may have been caused by an electrical fault. The fire engine was called, but the houses were completely destroyed and, up to now, the fire engine has not arrived,” Dawood said.
No injuries were reported in the incident, but the MP said the consequences for the affected families were devastating. He cited the case of a female prison officer who lost all her household items, forcing her children to stay away from school due to lack of basic necessities.
Dawood criticised the Meru County Government’s handling of the incident, describing the response as inadequate and worrying.
He questioned the county’s preparedness to handle major emergencies, particularly if a similar fire were to occur within Meru town.
According to the legislator, conflicting explanations were offered after the incident, with some officials blaming lack of fuel while others cited mechanical issues with the fire engine.
He warned that such shortcomings put both prison officers and inmates at unnecessary risk.
“The most important development that the Meru County Government should prioritise is fire engines. When I was a councillor, Meru town had four fire engines, but over time that number was reduced as successive governors relocated them to other towns,” Dawood said.
He called on the county administration to urgently invest in additional fire engines and strengthen emergency response services, arguing that prevention is far less costly than replacing property lost to disasters.
“The county government must explain what would happen if a fire broke out in Meru town. If a fire engine could not reach this place the entire night, can we truly save the town in case of a major fire?” he posed.
Dawood added that although no lives were lost, the emotional and financial burden on the affected families is significant.
He urged the county to ensure fire engines are functional, well-maintained and adequately fuelled at all times, stressing that emergency preparedness should be treated as a core development priority rather than an afterthought.
