NAIROBI , Kenya ( CNN ) -- Officials found 13 bodies in the rubble of a scorched supermarket in downtown Nairobi Friday and are investigating a tip that security guards locked people in the burning building , a police spokesman said . Members of the public helped to fight the fire which left at least 47 people missing . The blaze started on Wednesday afternoon in the Nakumatt supermarket . The Standard Newspaper reported harrowing tales of families trying to find their missing loved ones , at times making the job of firefighters more difficult . So many people crowded the scene that police on foot and on horseback periodically chased them away . Riot police with tear gas and batons stood nervously around the edge of the scene -- where a barricade has been erected . Joseph Mwangi waited among the crowd , hoping for news of his cousin Daniel . On Wednesday , Mwangi sent 16-year-old Daniel Njoge with 6,000 shillings ( about $ 75 ) to the market . `` He was coming to shop for school , '' said Mwangi , a waiter at a nearby restaurant . `` I sent him to the store to get stationery supplies . '' `` On Wednesday night , I got so worried . Now I think he is just in there , '' Mwangi said , pointing at the burned-out store . `` The response was not good , '' he said . `` A person who fights a fire must go into the building , but they just stayed outside . '' Mwangi registered with the Kenya Red Cross on the scene , as scores of others did , and now he waits . Justin Mule , who works at the Stanley Bookstore across the road from the supermarket , described the start of the fire to CNN : `` I saw smoke coming up from the building on Wednesday afternoon . In a few minutes , there were explosions . I saw some guys jumping from the burning roof . Soon after the fire , I saw the store security guards closing the doors because they feared looting . The doors were locked . That was a mistake . They should n't have locked the doors . '' Other witness corroborated his account . Police launched a criminal investigation to look into that allegation , said Eric Kiraithe , a police spokesman . Employees of the supermarket refused to comment on the allegations . The fire has angered Kenyans for what they perceive is a lack of disaster preparedness . Local newspaper editorials slammed the government 's response to the tragedy . `` Disaster preparedness is still a challenge , and the operation was hampered by the Nairobi city layout , '' said Kenya Red Cross spokesman Titus Mung'ou said . Emergency numbers failed to work and water ran out during attempts to put out the fire , he said . According to local news reports , the fire ignited Wednesday afternoon during a busy hour in the 24-hour supermarket . Hundreds of people crowded around the scene and tourists peered through their hotel windows as firefighters , security guards and civilians struggled to get the fire under control . Periodic explosions rocked the city and debris fell around the building . The crowd cheered each incoming fire truck , and water had to be brought to the scene from a nearby soccer stadium .
Rescuers found 13 bodies in scorched rubble of Kenyan supermarket . Massive fire destroys the supermarket in downtown Nairobi on Wednesday . Incident blamed Kenyans for what they believe is a lack of disaster relief .