The burned hotel and vehicle. [PHOTO|Joseph Manyasa|West FM]

Property of unknown value was Saturday morning burned to ashes when an inferno caught parts of the crossroads hotel in Mumias town.

The fire which started at 5:30 in the morning saw a number of vehicles parked behind the hotel burned including the furniture within the grass thatched rooms.

According to the watchman of the hotel, the fire started within one of the vehicles parked behind the hotel where a tout was sleeping and it is alleged that the cigarettes he was smoking might be the cause of the fire.

On seeing the fire, he run away leaving the watchman who had seen him behind raising an alarm that caused all the touts who were already at the bus stop to come and give a helping hand in extinguishing the fire.

Some government officials, police and the public joined together in saving some property within the hotel where more than twenty computers were rescued.

The fire brigade from Mumias sugar came in after being informed of the inferno by the owner of the hotel and saw the fire stopped.

Two vehicles, one Volvo and a Mitsubishi mini-bus which belonged to the owner of the hotel were burned since they couldn’t have managed to remove them as the keys were with the owner.

By 7 am the fire was contained as the residents blame the municipal council of Mumias for not availing the fire brigade which would have at least reduced the loss.