A second dormitory fire in less than a month has forced the indefinite closure of Chianda Boys High School in Siaya County, disrupting learning and leaving more than 100 students without accommodation after another hostel was destroyed.
The latest fire gutted Senior Chief Nathan Ojungo House, a dormitory occupied by Form Three students, leaving 113 learners displaced after the blaze destroyed the building together with all their personal belongings.
Despite the damage, all students were safely evacuated and no injuries or deaths were reported.
Following the incident, the school suspended learning and directed parents to collect their children or make arrangements for them to travel home after the Friday, July 10 fire.
Police officers and other government agencies have started investigations to determine what caused the blaze.
The incident is the second at the school within weeks after another dormitory was damaged by fire on June 16, raising fresh concerns over the safety of learners and school facilities.
The repeated fires have renewed calls for stronger measures to prevent similar incidents in schools, with education stakeholders expressing concern over the growing trend of dormitory blazes across the country.
The latest case adds to a series of school fire incidents reported in recent months, many of which have led to learning disruptions, destruction of property and increased anxiety among parents and teachers.
Questions are once again being raised over the effectiveness of measures introduced to deal with student unrest as schools continue to experience similar incidents.
Earlier this week, Nyabisase Mixed Secondary School in Kisii County was also hit by unrest after students allegedly confronted teachers before a dormitory was set ablaze. Videos of the incident later spread widely on social media.
Following that incident, Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba ordered investigations and warned that those found responsible for violence and destruction of school property would face the full force of the law.