Traders at Suuq Mugdi market in Garissa town are counting their losses after a fire tore through sections of the market in the early hours of Wednesday, October 28.
Video from the scene showed flames consuming stalls and thick smoke rising over the market, while traders rushed to save what goods they could and load them into vehicles. Fire engines and water bowsers were deployed to contain the blaze.
By the time of reporting, authorities had not established what caused the fire, how many businesses were affected, or the value of goods lost.
Suuq Mugdi, informally known as the ‘dark market’, is one of Garissa’s busiest trading centres, with vendors selling fresh produce, clothing, handicrafts, local goods and street food.
It is not the first time the market has burned. In June 2025, a fire destroyed a large part of the market, and eyewitnesses then complained that the county’s emergency response had been slow.
The latest fire adds to calls from traders for better fire safety and faster emergency response in the town’s crowded markets.
Source: Kenyans.co.ke.
