World Bank to build Sh480m fire stations in city

The World Bank is set to build two fire stations in Waithaka and on Outer Ring Road at a cost of Sh480 million to speed up emergency response times in Nairobi.

The move promises relief for businesses and households which solely rely on Tom Mboya Station in the Central Business District (CBD).

City Hall has in the past several years promised to build new fire stations but has failed to do so, citing lack of funds.

“The World Bank is investing in financial year 2015/16 Sh5 billion worth of development projects. Such projects include Sh480 million for construction of model fire stations in Waithaka and Outering Road,” said County Finance Executive Gregory Mwakanongo when he read Nairobi’s budget.

The bank will also spend Sh21.8 million for purchase of three water bowsers for the three fire stations.

Lack of fire stations in different parts of the city has meant that the engines have to navigate the often traffic-clogged Nairobi roads to get to the sites of the fires, delays that have been blamed for losses that could be avoided .

Nairobi has in the last few years seen several huge fires besides those in residential and business premises.

These include the recent blaze at Gikomba and City Park markets, the terminal at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport and several buildings in the CBD.

The county has often had to rely on fire fighters from the Kenya Army and private firms like G4S to put out the blazes.

Leaders in Eastlands have called for fire stations in the area saying that the amounts of investment justify an independent fire-fighting unit.

The idea to build the fire stations was mooted back in 2012 under a loan from the World Bank when the city was still under the Ministry of Nairobi Metropolitan Development.

Mr Mwakanongo added that a further Sh38.4 million will be spent to rehabilitate the Tom Mboya Fire Station.