A fire broke out in residential buildings behind Posta in Kangemi, Nairobi, on Thursday afternoon, with several residents feared trapped as firefighters battled to contain the blaze.
Police said many people were left homeless by the fire that broke out at about midday on Thursday. Police said there were no casualties reported but many were left homeless.
Teams said search-and-rescue missions were on the ground for more.
Nairobi City County fire response teams rushed to the scene and worked to extinguish the flames and prevent them from spreading to neighbouring structures.
The cause of the fire was not immediately established, while authorities had yet to confirm whether anyone had been injured or killed.
Witnesses reported seeing thick smoke and flames engulfing buildings in part of Kangemi Informal Settlement, one of Nairobi’s densely populated urban settlements.
The settlement lies in a valley between several high-end residential neighbourhoods, including Mountain View, and is characterised by densely packed semi-permanent structures.
Many of the houses are constructed from corrugated iron sheets, commonly known as mabati, and supported by wooden frames or mud walls.
Such structures are highly vulnerable to rapidly spreading fires, particularly where buildings are separated by narrow paths.
The densely populated settlement is home to thousands of low-income residents, many of whom rent single rooms within privately owned compounds.
The congestion also presents challenges for emergency responders, with narrow access routes potentially slowing the movement of fire engines and other emergency vehicles.
Residents gathered around the affected area as firefighters worked to bring the blaze under control and prevent it from spreading to nearby homes.
The number of houses destroyed or damaged, possible casualties and the cause of the fire remained unknown as the firefighting operation continued.
Authorities were expected to provide further details once the situation had been brought under control.
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