Schools have been urged to plan well structures so that enough space is left between buildings to guarantee safety in case of fire accidents.
Kisii County Commissioner Tom Anjere made this observation as he visited Riokindo Boys High School that was gutted down yesterday by a fierce inferno that flattened three dormitories.
Fortunately there were no casualties as the students were out in class at the time of the incident.
Anjere asked principals to team up with alumni and local leadership to make good architectural plans that take into account children’s safety while ensuring that fires do not spread easily to other buildings.
He appealed to principals and their school management team to involve their respective alumni and local administration during the planning and putting up of school infrastructure for proper coordinated development.
“Let every institution have a blueprint on the priority of their school infrastructural development in order to avoid any mishaps in our learning institutions,” he said.
He said that although the cause of the fire was not known, quick movements of rescue efforts were made impossible by the crowded arrangement of the buildings, leading to a massive loss of property.
The Tuesday 8:00 am fire left students without basics, except what they had on them in the classrooms.
The principal Gerald Orina estimated the loss of three buildings and students’ belongings at 5 million shillings.
He suspects it was caused by a faulty power connection as it happened after a brief blackout.
Together with villagers who answered their distress call, they tried to put it out but the flames were too strong for them. The county’s fire department arrived when it had already consumed everything.
The school was closed indefinitely except for the candidates to create room for them to settle back and prepare for the KCSE examinations that are coming in about a week’s time.
Already, well-wishers have responded to their call, with Governor Simba Arati giving 200,000 shillings and assorted bedding. Other well-wishers who donated mattresses, blankets and bed sheets include 7 MCA’s.
They appealed to the county government to strengthen its disaster management by assigning each of the 11 sub-counties one firefighting engine for quicker responses to disasters.
They also advised schools to employ people with disaster management skills, especially the guards, so that they are not stationed only at the gate.
By Enock Okong’o
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