Traders at Kibuye Open-Air Market in Kisumu Central Sub-County are counting losses after a fire destroyed a section of the busy market last night.
The blaze reportedly broke out at the market on Monday night, sending traders and members of the public into a rush to save their goods and prevent the fire from spreading to neighbouring stalls.
The extent of the damage and the value of property destroyed are yet to be established.
The cause of the fire is also not immediately known, with investigations expected to determine what triggered the blaze.
The latest incident has once again raised concerns over fire safety at Kibuye Market, which has experienced several fires over the years.
In January 2015, a fire tore through part of the market, destroying several shops and property worth millions of shillings.
The fire was reported to have started at a hotel kitchen before spreading to adjacent businesses.
Traders at the time raised concerns over the market's wooden and congested structures, which allowed the flames to spread rapidly.
A year later, in March 2016, another night-time fire razed several stalls, including furniture shops, second-hand clothing stores and food kiosks.
Traders blamed persistent power outages, while firefighters reportedly struggled with inadequate water supplies as they battled the blaze.
In April 2018, yet another fire destroyed part of Kibuye Market, with losses estimated at millions of shillings.
The incident renewed questions over the frequent fires at the open-air market, with traders citing possible electrical faults, illegal power connections and even suspected arson.
Another fire was reported in September 2019, when a blaze destroyed a hotel and several stalls.
Traders said the fire started at a traditional medicine shop before spreading to neighbouring businesses.
The Kisumu County Government has previously acknowledged that Kibuye Market had suffered several fire disasters, describing the incidents as one of the challenges behind efforts to modernise the market.
