Witnesses from the Sarit Centre fire incidents claim that the fire was started by a faulty photocopying machine on the ground floor. Attendants attempted to put it out using a hand-held fire extinguisher but it was futile. Thereafter, an alarm was sounded which made tenants and shoppers evacuate the building.
“WE DIDN’T KNOW IT [THE FIRE] WAS COMING UP, SO WE STAYED INSIDE AND MADE A CUP OF TEA TO CALM OUR NERVES,” MITCHEL RIKTA, A TENANT, SAID.
“BUT AFTER THAT WE NOTICED OUR FLOOR WAS COVERED IN SMOKE. WHEN WE OPENED THE DOOR IT ALL CAME IN AND WE CLOSED IT BACK. WE THEN GRABBED WET TOWELS, CLUNG ON EACH OTHER AND MANAGED TO MANEUVER OUR WAY OUT OF OUR OFFICE,” another added.
The fire exposed the wanting capacity of disaster response and management in the county. Firefighters, for instance, only had dust masks and hand towels