Three children died after a newly purchased gas cylinder reportedly exploded and triggered a fire at a homestead in Mahoma Village, Gem Sub-County, Siaya County.
The incident occurred on Monday, September 21, 2026, police said.
Police officers responded to the scene at the home of Fidel Odhiambo Agutu, a teacher at St Mary’s Yala National School.
Preliminary investigations indicated that the mother of one of the victims, had purchased a new 13-kilogramme gas cylinder from an unknown manufacturer.
The woman was reportedly preparing a meal in the house in the company of her three-year-old daughter and two children from a neighbouring family when she lit the gas cylinder.
The cylinder allegedly erupted into huge flames, causing panic. Veronica ran out of the house while calling for help, leaving the three children inside.
The children reportedly ran into a bedroom as the fire rapidly spread through the house. Neighbours who responded to the distress call were unable to contain the flames.
The three minors were trapped and burnt beyond recognition.
They were identified as Maryreta Odhiambo, 3, Maxwell Omondi Ochieng, 7, a Grade One pupil at Kararwo Pro School. and John Omondi, 12, a Grade Seven pupil at Kagilo Primary School.
Maxwell and John were children from a neighbouring family.
Household property whose value had not been established was also completely destroyed in the fire.
Crime Scene Investigation officers processed and documented the scene before the three bodies were removed and taken to Yala Level IV Hospital mortuary.
The bodies are being preserved pending postmortem examinations and DNA testing to aid in definitive identification.
And a nine-year-old boy who suffered severe burns in a house fire in Homa Bay County has died while undergoing treatment at a hospital in Kisii.
The boy succumbed to his injuries on Monday morning while receiving specialised treatment at Chiromo Hospital in Kisii.
Police said the boy had sustained burns covering about 70 per cent of his body during the fire incident at his family home on September 17, 2026.
He was initially admitted to Homa Bay County Teaching and Referral Hospital before being transferred to the Kisii facility for specialised treatment.
Following his death, his body was returned to the Homa Bay County Teaching and Referral Hospital mortuary.
Police said a postmortem examination was conducted on Ian’s body alongside that of his late sister, who also died following the same fire incident.
Investigations into the circumstances surrounding the fire and the deaths are ongoing.
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