Panic swept through Sameta Boys Senior School in Kisii County on Monday after a fire tore through one of the school’s dormitories, sending students scrambling to safety and triggering a frantic effort to contain the blaze.
The fire broke out during the day while students were in class, according to preliminary reports. By early afternoon, thick smoke and flames could be seen rising from the school grounds, drawing residents from nearby areas as students rushed to rescue personal belongings and help extinguish the fire.
Videos circulating online showed a large section of the dormitory engulfed in flames as students and staff formed lines carrying buckets of water in an attempt to slow the spread of the fire.
No fatalities had been reported by Monday afternoon. One student who was said to have been inside the building when the fire started sustained minor injuries.
Authorities have yet to establish what caused the fire. Investigators are expected to examine the scene to determine whether the blaze was accidental or the result of other factors.
The incident comes at a time of heightened concern over safety in Kenya’s boarding schools following a series of fire outbreaks in learning institutions across the country.
Last week, a deadly dormitory fire at Utumishi Girls Academy in Gilgil claimed the lives of 16 students, prompting fresh scrutiny of safety standards in schools and renewed calls for stronger preventive measures.
In response to recent incidents, Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen announced new directives requiring boarding schools to install surveillance cameras in key areas of their premises. The government says the move is intended to improve monitoring and help prevent future tragedies.
Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba has also ordered a nationwide inspection of boarding schools, with officials expected to assess safety conditions over the coming days.
Government officials have warned that schools found to be operating below required safety standards could face disciplinary action. The inspections are expected to focus heavily on dormitories, which authorities say have been the most common sites of school fire incidents in recent years.
At Sameta Boys, students and staff were left counting losses as investigators prepared to begin their work. The value of property destroyed was not immediately known.
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