Property of unknown value was lost when a mysterious fire destroyed a dormitory at John Mbadi Mixed Secondary School in Homa Bay County.
The fire broke out early Wednesday morning while students were attending their morning classes.
Suba Deputy County Commissioner Sebastian Okiring confirmed the incident and stated that investigations are underway.
The fire destroyed the roof of the dormitory, leaving at least 73 students without their belongings.
Affected items include boxes, uniforms, books, and personal items. Of the students, 65 were in the dormitory at the time, while eight were not present.
“No property was salvaged as the fire rapidly spread to the roof. A total of 73 student boxes were destroyed,” Okiring reported.
The blaze was noticed by the school community only when it was already advanced, rendering efforts to extinguish it ineffective. The cause of the fire remains undetermined.
The school, which relies on solar power due to a lack of electricity, had solar batteries positioned at the building’s entrance.
The fire started at the opposite side, which rules out the possibility that the fire was caused by a battery fault.
“Our security agencies are on the ground to assess the situation and determine the cause of the fire,” Okiring said, confirming that no students were injured in the incident.
“Fortunately, the fire occurred while students were in class, so no injuries were reported.”
Okiring has appealed to well-wishers for assistance for the affected students and urged parents and students to remain calm as investigations continue.
The affected students will be relocated to alternative accommodation to ensure that their learning can proceed without interruption.
