A dormitory at Sameta Boys High School in Kisii County was reduced to ashes after a fire tore through the building, the latest in a string of blazes that have hit the institution and prompted anxious parents to demand swift government intervention.
Parents converged at the school this morning to address the aftermath of the fire, which razed the dormitory late last night. They renewed their appeal to the state to move urgently against what they described as mysterious fire outbreaks that have repeatedly struck the area, destroying multiple buildings and piling extra maintenance costs onto families already stretched by school expenses.
According to the school administration, investigators have yet to establish what triggered the blaze. Principal Daniel Mirumbe said the alarm was first raised by students at around 4:30 pm, but by the time the fire was brought under control, the dormitory had been completely gutted, taking with it a substantial amount of students’ personal property.
“There was no student hurt, although we have lost a lot of property,” Mirumbe said, confirming that no injuries were reported despite the scale of the destruction.
ALSO READ:
CS Ogamba to commission school infrastructure projects during Kisii County tour
The timing of the fire carried an added sting for the school community. It struck just as the institution’s soccer team was making final preparations to travel to Homa Bay County for the KSSSA games at the Nyanza Region level, casting a shadow over what should have been a moment of pride for Sameta Boys.
With the school now counting losses, parents are pressing the Ministry of Education to work alongside security agencies and fire experts to investigate the recurring fires plaguing schools across Kisii County. They want a coordinated probe into the root causes of the outbreaks and the introduction of concrete preventive measures to protect both learners and school property going forward.
For now, the Ministry has not issued a public response to the parents’ appeal, and the cause of the latest fire at Sameta Boys remains under investigation.
By Enock Okong’o
You can also follow our social media pages on Twitter: Education News KE and Facebook: Education News Newspaper for timely updates.
>>> Click here to stay up-to-date with trending regional stories
>>> Click here to read more informed opinions on the country’s education landscape
