Nairobi — Two Rivers Mall, one of East Africa's largest shopping complexes, conducted a full-scale fire drill on Wednesday morning as part of efforts to enhance emergency preparedness and ensure compliance with national safety protocols.
The exercise, which began at 9am, tested the mall's fire response systems and staff readiness in the event of a real emergency.
All employees safely were evacuated to designated fire assembly points, where a comprehensive headcount was conducted to assess the efficiency of the evacuation process.
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The drill simulated a realistic fire and smoke scenario, prompting a coordinated response from firefighters, mall security teams, and emergency personnel, including officers from other security agencies.
Vehicular movement around the mall was temporarily restricted to create an authentic emergency environment.
Mall management said such drills will now be conducted regularly in compliance with the Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA) 2007 and directives from the Directorate of Occupational Safety and Health Services (DOSHS), which require commercial establishments to carry out regular fire drills and emergency preparedness training.
"This is going to be a regular occurrence. It is required by law to conduct this kind of drill," said a fire safety officer who supervised the exercise.
Fire safety experts note that shopping malls are particularly vulnerable to fire risks due to high foot traffic, diverse commercial activities, and the presence of flammable materials in restaurants, retail outlets, and entertainment facilities.
