As the rising cases of inferno continue to be witnessed in most schools countrywide, on Sunday, fire gutted down three dorms at St. Teresas Secondary school in Kiminini Sub county, Trans Nzoia county and destroyed property worth millions of shillings.
According to a parent Jason Okello who doubles up as the village elder of the area, he learnt of the fire outbreak at the school at around 8. pm on Monday and rushed to the school only to find out three dorms had gone into flames.
When the emergency vehicles arrived from the county to help put off the fire, the dormitories had already been gutted down.
Mr. Okello said that the community joined hands with the county van and tried to put out the fire that had already affected the three dorms in vain.
Properties belonging to students including boxes and mattresses got destroyed by the raging fire making several students lack a place to sleep
Some students were admitted to the district hospital for the shock they underwent following the fire outbreak, they however were not injured by the fire.
Fire incidents have been reported in:
Kapsokwony boys high school in Mt. Elgon, Bungoma county.
Chewoyet High School in West Pokot County.
Saint Patrick’s Netima boys’ school in Kabuchai, Bungoma county.
Kaimosi Boy’s secondary school in Hamisi Sub County of the Vihiga county.
St. Bakitas Girls High School at Emuhaya in Vihiga County.
St. Francis Suwerwa secondary school in Cherangany constituency in Trans Nzoia.
St. Mark Orthodox Chavogere Secondary in Sabatia Sub County, Vihiga County.
The cause of fire has not been established as police officers have launched investigations into the matter to try ascertain the real cause of the fire outbreak with preliminary investigations showing the fire may have been started by outsiders.
Efforts to speak to the school principal to divulge the real damage caused was futile as she didn’t respond to the questions raised on reason that she was in a shock about what had happened.
A team of security officers led by the Trans Nzoia county commissioner madam Anne Gakuria, the county police commander madam Lilian Okembo, the Red cross chairman for the county Ronald Masindano and the school board led by Father Birgen and the school principal were holed in a day long meeting of trying to ascertain the loss incurred to the school and the best way to handle the crisis.
Students has since been sent home indefinitely till when they will be called back later.