Inferno razes four hotels in Diani

An inferno on Tuesday razed to the ground 82 bungalows at the prestigious Neptune Hotels in Diani, Kwale County.

The fire is reported to have started at around 5:30pm at Neptune Palm Beach Hotel and Resort before spreading to Neptune Paradise, Sunset Villas, and Neptune Village Beach Resort.

Strong winds blowing from the ocean aggravated the issue with 26 private villas and residential homes within a stretch of 2 kilometres were also razed.

Kwale County Acting County Commissioner Mwangi Kahiro affected makuti-thatched houses noting that the cause of the fire is yet to be established though investigations are ongoing.

53 tourists who were residing at the Neptune were evacuated to various hotels within Diani. No casualties were reported with the value of property lost in the fire yet to be determined.

Speaking on Tuesday evening, Kwale Governor Salim Mvurya said the county government had dispatched its fire engine together with that of Radar Security to help put out the fire.

One of the resident, Gabriel Simon, however faulted the county government for their apparently slow response saying the fire engines arrived at the scene without water with others bearing faulty pumps which could not help put out the fire.