By Kayugira Dante, Kakamega
Property of unknown value was reduced to ashes at St Peter’s Mumias Boys high School in Mumias West Sub-County and Kivaywa Boys High School in Lugari Sub-County after fire gutted two dormitories.
The fire destroyed students belongings and nothing was salvaged.
St. Peter’s High School principal Crisphinus Owino said that 90 students lost their personal effects and bedding in the fire incident and that no injuries reported.
The principal further said that the fire was detected at 6pm on Sunday as learners had gone to the dining hall for supper.
The Kakamega County fire fighters came to rescue before the spreading of the fire to other dormitories.
According to Mr Owino, the course of the fire was not established, “We don’t know whether it’s an electrical fault and it was deliberately started by one of the students. We are still investigating to establish the cause of the fire,”
The St. Peters school principal resorted to other alternatives to accommodate the affected students and assured the parents and stakeholders that the incident would not disrupt learning for the affected students and the school at large.
“We have some extra mattresses and double-decker beds to take care of 80 students. We are still making arrangements for the remaining 10 learners,” said Mr Owino.
According to the Kakamega County Governor Fernandez Barasa in a press release, preliminary investigations have not revealed the cause of the two fire incidents.
“Meanwhile I express my sympathies to all the students who lost property in the inferno and urge for calm within the schools and among parents as investigations proceed to determine the causes of the two fire incidents,” said Barasa
Kivaywa Boys also reported an incident of dormitory on fire the same day St Peter’s Boy’s high school dormitory was on fire.
On the contrary, Kivaywa Boy’s high school dormitory was set on fire by six boys who have since arrested.
According to the Kakamega County Police Commander Joseph Kigen, the students are undergoing questioning as part of a probe into the fire that damaged a dormitory for 260 students.
Beds, mattresses and personal effects were among the items destroyed.
Attempts to put off the fire was done by West Kenya Sugar company fire fighters were futile as their effort was sabotaged by the rowdy students who stoned the fire truck forcing the school to call the police force to sustain the situation.
Afterwards, the school’s board meeting was called to discuss how the 260 learners would get accommodation.
Ends.
