A mentally ill woman burnt to death in her makeshift hut in Bukhulunya area in the outskirts of Kakamega town early Monday morning.

Neighbours said the hut caught fire when the candle that the deceased, only identified as Refah, usually used at night lit the old car tyres and plastic bags that were inside.

“It was around 5 am when I was going to school that I heard screams from the hut and when I checked, I saw smoke spiralling from it. I ran back home and informed my mother who woke up the neighbours and started putting out the fire with buckets of water,” narrated Joseph Indimuli, a student and neighbour to the deceased.

Villagers said that the woman stayed alone in that house and closed the door by placing bricks behind it.

Kakamega County Police Commander, Patrick Wambani, said they have launched investigations into the incident.

The body has been moved to Kakamega County Referral Hospital mortuary.

KNA by Sammy Mwibanda/Joan Phelesia