Property worth Sh1.5m destroyed after dormitory set on fire

Property worth about Sh1.5 million was on Sunday night reduced to ashes after a boys’ dormitory was razed down at Maiuni Secondary School in Yatta Constituency, Machakos County.

Confirming the incident, Yatta OCPD Edward Changach said the boys escaped soon after the 40-man capacity dormitory was set on fire.

“This morning at 3am the principal reported that the boys’ dormitory was on fire, police and members of the public rushed to the scene and helped put out the fire,” said Mr Changach.

Nobody was injured during the incident, while police say the cause of the fire is yet to be established.

“Investigations into the incident are ongoing and it is my appeal to school heads to report any unusual behavior of students to the police,” he said.

This comes barely two weeks after students of Itierio Lutheran Boys High School went on a rampage and burnt down seven out of the school’s 12 dormitories.

Students, who spoke to Citizen Digital on condition of anonymity, said they went on strike to protest the introduction of new rules by the school.

Police who were called to quell the riots had to use teargas and to shoot in the air to disperse the irate students.

Scores of students who were injured during the fracas were taken to Kisii Level 5 Hospital where they are receiving treatment.

There seems to be a worrying trend in secondary schools in the country where barely a week passes by without a fire incident being reported.