Two secondary schools; one in Kiambu County and another in Taita Taveta, have been indefinitely closed following separate fire incidents that destroyed property and disrupted learning.
At Mirithu Girls’ Secondary School in Ndeiya, Limuru, more than 90 students were sent home after a Wednesday night blaze razed a dormitory. The historic wooden structure, long cherished by alumni for its warmth during cold seasons, was completely destroyed.
Preliminary reports suggest the fire may have been caused by an electrical fault. Fortunately, no injuries were reported, as the students were in class at the time of the incident. Residents from nearby Nderu Shopping Centre and Duka Moja rushed to assist in containing the fire.
Education officer Kariuki Mwangi confirmed that the school’s board will convene to determine how best to accommodate the affected learners in the coming days.
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In a separate incident, Dr Aggrey National School in Wundanyi, Taita Taveta County, was also closed after a Thursday evening fire destroyed property of unknown value. The school, recently elevated to national status, has faced growing concern over recurring fire outbreaks.
The fire reportedly broke out around 7 p.m. while students were attending evening prep sessions. Authorities revealed that an earlier attempted arson incident had been thwarted, raising suspicions about the cause of the latest blaze.
The Taita Taveta Sub-county security team, led by Assistant County Commissioner Jackson Ng’etich, has launched investigations into the incident. School principal William Mwandigha convened a crisis meeting and conducted a roll call to ensure all students were accounted for.
No casualties were reported in either incident, but the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) has begun probing the causes of both fires as authorities seek to address the troubling trend of school infernos.
By Juma Ndigo
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