Eldoret Fire Injures Two Soldiers
Authorities have launched a thorough investigation into a fire incident at the Kenya Ordnance Factories Corporation (KOFC) headquarters in Turbo, Uasin Gishu County, where two Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) soldiers were seriously injured. The fire, which broke out in the early hours of Thursday, November 20, 2025, led to an emergency response at the country’s main military ammunition production plant.
According to security sources, five KDF personnel were affected by the blaze. Three of them were treated for suffocation and later discharged, while two others were admitted in stable condition. Preliminary reports indicate that the fire erupted following an explosion in one of the magazine storehouses that contained gunpowder used in the manufacture of bullets. The explosion triggered a rapid spread of flames across part of the facility.
Some soldiers stationed at the base reported that the area experienced two unexplained power outages shortly before the incident. Although officials have not established a link between the blackouts and the explosion, investigators say the outages form part of the broader probe into what might have triggered the blaze.
The fire caused extensive damage, destroying more than 16 tonnes of different types of gunpowder, a podium, and other property valued at approximately Sh300 million. Firefighters managed to contain the inferno shortly after midnight, preventing it from spreading to other sensitive sections of the factory.
Police officers, fire response teams, and technicians from the Kenya Power and Lighting Company visited the scene to assess the damage and piece together the sequence of events. KOFC, a parastatal under the Ministry of Defence, plays a critical role in producing military equipment, ammunition, and other hardware used by security agencies.
In an unrelated incident the same day, two people died in a devastating fire in the Fuata Nyayo area of Mariguini, Nairobi. Their charred bodies were discovered after the flames destroyed more than 150 makeshift structures. Both victims, believed to be male, were burned beyond recognition and were taken to the mortuary for identification and post-mortem examinations.
Emergency responders and local residents worked together to extinguish the blaze, though the cause of the fire was still unknown. Authorities warn that fires in informal settlements often turn deadly due to congested housing, limited access routes, and inadequate safety infrastructure.
Eldoret Fire Injures Two Soldiers
