A fire has broken out in the Mlango Kubwa area of Mathare, Nairobi County, causing panic among residents.

In a notice on December 10, the Kenya Red Cross, Nairobi Branch, said the cause of the fire is not yet known, and authorities are investigating the situation as it unfolds.

The Nairobi Fire Brigade is currently on site, working tirelessly to contain and extinguish the blaze.

“A fire outbreak has been reported at Mlango Kubwa area in Mathare, Nairobi County. The Nairobi Fire Brigade is currently on site, and efforts to extinguish the fire are underway. More updates to follow,” reads part of the statement.

The incident at Mlango Kubwa follows a worrying trend of major fire outbreaks across Nairobi’s informal settlements in recent weeks, placing immense strain on disaster response capabilities.

In November 2025, an outbreak was reported in Kibera (Laini Saba) areas, which was quickly followed by a devastating incident on November 20, 2025, in Mukuru Fuata Nyayo Village, South B, where several families lost properties of unknown value.

This was part of a larger, deadly spate of fires observed earlier in the year, particularly in May 2025, where areas like Mathare 4B, Kambi Aluru, and Mukuru Kwa Reuben recorded multiple fatal blazes, claiming at least 15 lives in a single week.

This ongoing series of outbreaks driven by factors like illegal electricity connections, dense housing made of flammable materials, and poor access for fire engines