HIV positive man kills himself

Property of an unknown value was reduced to ashes after a fire razed down over 400 houses at KCC village in Naivasha.

The fire was started by a middle aged man who allegedly committed suicide by setting himself ablaze after he discovered he was HIV positive.

The man who was burnt beyond recognition doused himself with petrol before setting himself on fire.

Confirming the incident, Naivasha Officer Commanding Police Division, Mr. Ernest Oponyo, said close to 500 one-roomed timber houses were destroyed by the Wednesday 11.00pm fire.

No one was injured in the inferno. The provincial administration and the Red Cross visited the scene Thursday morning to console the victims and ascertain their immediate basic needs.

The Red Cross personnel also distributed some food stuffs, blankets and utensils to the affected families.

Majority of the affected were flower farm workers who could not hold back tears and wailed after realizing that they had lost all their personal effects.

According to neighbors, the deceased who was a carpenter in the area had allegedly fallen out with his girlfriend whom he had threatened to kill.

According to a victim Ms Teresia Moraa, the deceased had gone to hospital where he learnt of his HIV status.

Moraa who lost all her household belongings told how the middle aged man set himself ablaze at around 11pm saying that he could not live with the disease.

The mother of six said that the fire from the wooden house spread fast and caught many of the residents by surprise as they were fast asleep.

The families are now appealing for more help from well-wishers, adding all their belongings were razed down in the inferno.