Cela s’est passé hier, mercredi 28 janvier 2009 à 14 h 45, en plein centre ville de Nairobi dans le supermarché de Nakumatt Downtown. Le feu a démarré dans la salle des générateurs du supermarché, puis il y a plusieurs grandes explosions (surement des bouteilles de gaz) et le feu est devenu incontrôlable.  Plusieurs bâtiments adjacents ont du être évacués dont le Nation Media Group et le Nairobi Stock Exchange Centre.

Photos & Twitts courtesy of Kahenya
Thank you Kahenya !! Much appreciated
Photo under CC-BY-NC-ND licence

Les pompiers du Nairobi City Council Fire Brigade ont mis plus de 20 min pour arriver sur les lieux et ont été incapable de contrôler l’incendie malgré leurs allez-retour pour remplir leur camion d’eau.  Heureusement, l’arrivée des camions anti-incendie de l’aéroport (les pompiers du Kenya Airports Authority) et d’une compagnie privée de sécurité (G4S Fire Brigade) sont venus en renfort et leur professionalisme a permis d’éteindre l’incendie en fin de soirée.

D’après les nouvelles de ce matin, six personnes ont été hospitalisées et il semblerait que 18 personnes sont toujours manquantes et un employé du supermarché a déclaré avoir laissé au moins 20 clients derrière lui lorsqu’il a sauté de l’étage.

J’ai appris la nouvelle hier à 15 heures grâce aux twitts de Kahenya qui se trouvait dans le bâtiment du Nation Media Group.  Il a pris quelques photos à l’aide de son appareil photo numérique pendant qu’il nous tenait au courant minute par minute de ce qui se passait en écrivant sur sa page Twitter (voir plus bas).

Les pompiers ont quand même mis plus de 20 minutes pour venir alors que leur caserne se trouve juste à côté !!  Beaucoup de personnes se demandent pourquoi autant de retard…  Ensuite, comme toujours, le feu a démarré à cause d’un problème électrique survenu à la suite de plusieurs coupures de courant (et oui, avec la KPLC, il faut s’attendre à tout).  Et, on aime aussi comme le note Kahenya, l’arrivée de l’hélicoptère qui vient juste survoler pour voir ce qu’il se passe !  Et les pompiers qui n’ont plus d’eau et pas de mousses anti-incendie…

MISE A JOUR (30/01/09)

Il y a donc plus de 40 disparus !! C’est assez effrayant !!!

D’après les derniers témoignages, les lumières du premier étage du supermarché ont scintillées, suivi par une odeur de brûlé… Puis, il y a eu le feu, assez intense d’ailleurs.  Les gens du premier étage n’ont même pas eu le temps de descendre puisque les bouteilles de gaz se trouvant dans l’escalier ont explosé !! Les gens ont donc suivi les employés du supermarché qui connaissaient les lieux et arrivaient à se diriger dans le noir.  Malheureusement, la porte de sortie de secours était fermée à clé avec plusieurs cadenas !! Seuls quelques personnes ont pu échapper à l’incendie en passant par les trous de ventilation pour accéder au toit et faire un saut de plus de 12 mètres.  Entretemps, Nakumatt annonçait que personne n’était bloquée dans le supermarché et que tout le monde était sain et sauf !!!

MISE A JOUR (02/02/09)

D’après les derniers témoignages, les gens ont eu le temps de descendre pour sortit par la porte principale du supermarché MAIS celle-ci avait été fermée par les agents de sécurité pour éviter que les clients ne volent.  Il semblerait que quelqu’un ait donné l’ordre de fermer la porte principale pour éviter que les clients ne sortent avec des prodits venant du magasin et que des inconscients ne rentrent dans le magasin pour y voler des articles.

La direction de Nakumatt a pris là une sage décision, en effet !!

Evacuating building explosions next door.

Fire in the building next door… Fucking hell. 10 mins, and the fire brigade has not arrived, and they are behind the building

Smoke is everywhere. On street level at the moment.

Fire brigade finally here..

Explosions being heard as gas explodes. Heavy smoke everywhere. Flames leaping high above..

Nakumat downtown on Kimathi street is on fire. Heavy smoke and fire and even more gas explosions at the moment.

Looting has started in Nakumatt and police are chasing looters down Kimathi street

Fire has started spreading. Nation Center is now at threat from the fire. Wind is not helping. Fire now spreading as we speak..

Nation Center now engulfed in smoke. We are moving to the corner of Tubman and Kimathi street. Its a bitching bad fire

Firebrigade has water but took well into 20 mins to get here plus now people using hydrants from building.

Everyone is pitching in to help with the water hoses, cutting trees. Beginning to feel the heat of the fire from 40 feet.

Nakumatt down town looks done. Fire is fast spreading as we speak…. Building housing Ali Bai Shariff hardware store is now on fire.

More fire brigades and ambulances arriving. And bringing water. Nor reports of casualties yet

Ali Bai Shariff wall facing Stanley. Is on fire. More brigades arriving and the fire is now on three buildings and spreading fast

Heat being felt as far back as 40 feet. Seems a KPLC transformer or two exploded. Heavy expsion again just heard.

Again no word on casualties yet…. #Nakumatt_Fire

Explosions bringing debris from the building. Last two explosions have just shaken the ground #Nakumatt_Fire

Explosions getting more frequent and violent. Looks like the gas storage is now on fire #Nakumatt_Fire

On a second note its not getting any better. Just got much worse. Flames shooting out and far. Paint is on fire. #Nakumatt_Fire

Fire brigade is out of water. This is getting out of hand… Fire brigade has no foam. Dealing only with gas fire #Nakumatt_Fire

Fire brigade is helpless is out of water. This is getting more dangerous. Ali Bai Shariff now on fire…. #Nakumatt_Fire

Everyone is trying to help with ideas re: water. But without foam, this is helpless. Its spreading. #Nakumatt_Fire

Major Ali, Police Chief has just arrived. Flanked by security. #Nakumatt_Fire

Police brigade has arrived and people bing given warnings about being close to the fire #Nakumatt_Fire

Using the truck they use to wash down rioters. Still seems to be a shortage of water #Nakumatt_Fire

Currently standing outside Nation Center. More water has arrived. Hopefully, this will be the solution #Nakumatt_Fire

Finally they have started using foam from the police force I think. Shocking that Brigade does not have foam apparently #Nakumatt_Fire

They have started watering down Ali Bai Shariff. Damage is very little from where I am standing #Nakumatt_Fire

We are being pushed back as they continue to water down Ali Bai and now Victor House. More water is arriving #Nakumatt_Fire

Red cross just informed me that there are people trapped inside. No number of reported injuries yet. #Nakumatt_Fire

Police on horseback have arrived and are pushing back people. G4S are the guys now dealing with the fire. #Nakumatt_Fire

Nakumatt looks like it has been razed to below the ground. Smoke still streaming out, and more water is arriving

Been allowed into disaster area as a journo. Looking inside Nakumatt. Its all red flames. All burning. A picture.. #Nakumatt_Fire

Well while the fire has to be put out, its looking a bit 50/50 at the moment. There are casualties trapped inside. #Nakumatt_Fire

Members of the public have stepped in to carry the heavy water hoses. Seems more members of the public than fire fighters

George Saitoti minister of Internal Security has been here. Im meant to understand that a head count has started for Nakumatt #Nakumatt_Fire

Fire brigade has left to get more water. More announcements coming in from Police for people to back off #Nakumatt_Fire

Recovery teams arrived. Looking into Nakumatt, the fire is still blazing inside no matter how much water they are pumping in. #Nakumatt_Fire

At frontside of Nakumatt and it looks worse than you could imagine. Smoke everywhere and water being pumped into the building #Nakumatt_Fire

Deputy Prime Minister Musalia Mudavadi has arrived. Gave a small speech and left… #Nakumatt_Fire

Saitoti, Mutula Kilonzo currently here. Saitoti on Mobile at the moment.

Fire was so bard that the trees opposite CFC Stanbic on Moi Avanue are on fire. That’s almost 40 feet away fron the source of the fire

Doubt there are any survivors. I hope I’m wrong but there does not seem to be any survivors… #Nakumatt_Fire

They should be fine. If any casualties, would be from Nakumatt, but more back office people #Nakumatt_Fire

New explosion has just hit. Gas has just exploded again. Calm of the storm. The fire was well on its way out. Nakumatt is now a mine field

Gas explosion has shot up 50 feet re-igniting the fire. #Nakumatt_Fire

And police are still whipping people. There is nothing to loot but people still trying to gain access to Nakumatt. Sad. #Nakumatt_Fire

Ufundi Plaza should be fine from where I am standing. Fire mostly kept to Nakumatt and. Was warded by Ali Bai Shariff #Nakumatt_Fire

Because of the fire is due to a KPLC fault. Was reported early this morning. This fire was a result of inaction #Nakumatt_Fire

Kimathi Avenue, behind Nakumatt seems to be fine. Somehow fire was retained within Nakumatt and Ali Bhai boundaries #Nakumatt_Fire

Police now want to start using teargas on people. They are asking people to go home. #Nakumatt_Fire

Fire and rescure First Responder are arriving. The fire is very much on. Has not abated. #Nakumatt_Fire

I’m not sure but this guys look like the guys from the airport. This guys are more organised than the brigade guys.

The good news is that so far no one seems to have been injured. All seems well #Nakumatt_Fire

Kenyas have proven to be a curious lot. With gas explosions and danger lurking, people went back #Nakumatt_Fire

All the people on the ground thought it was bringing water. When the thing was just inspecting. Kenya Police=Fail

Now is just smoke and the final dousing. Would seem that the fire inside at the core is still on due to flamables. #Nakumatt_Fire

From the office at NMG the smoke is so thick, you cannot see the Stanley across the street. Two hours after we evacuated #Naumatt_Fire