Fire Destroys Dormitory at Nyambaria Boys High School, 380 Students Displaced

Students at Nyambaria Boys' High School, in Nyamira County, are counting huge losses after an early morning fire destroyed a dormitory on Tuesday, May 27.

The fire, which reportedly started around 4 am, when the students were attending the morning prep.

Images and videos obtained of the inferno depicted worrying scenes, as the fire could be seen from as far away as the estates neighbouring the school.

While no casualties were reported, damage to property was extensive from the fire, which reduced mattresses and students' belongings.

8t8 media has since learnt that more than 300 students had their property affected by the inferno, which went on until the break of dawn. The Nyamira County fire brigade was forced to intervene to stop the inferno.

Meanwhile, investigations are underway to determine the cause of the blaze at the dormitory, which is incidentally located quite close to the school's kitchen area.

Nyambaria Boys is renowned for its academic excellence. In 2022, the school stole national headlines after all 488 candidates posted a mean score of 10.8975, emerging among the best in the country.

This is the latest incident involving a Kenyan high school, coming barely 24 hours after students of the Friends School Mbale, in Vihiga County, went on the rampage after they were denied permission to watch the Spanish LaLiga final day matches.

The students caused heavy damage to the deputy principal's office after allegedly being denied the chance to watch a football match on Sunday.

Amid a recent spate of fires, the national government is set to introduce early warning systems as part of its long-term strategy to address recurrent fire incidents in Nairobi's informal settlements.

In a statement on Monday, May 26, Nairobi Regional Commissioner Katee Mwanza said that the county government will also work hand in hand with the National Disaster Operations Centre (NDOC) and train communities on basic safety measures to deal with such disasters.

Additionally, Mwanza has further urged Nairobi residents to remain vigilant and work with local authorities to ensure that fire incidents are reported on time.

The commissioner said authorities are on high alert and investigations are underway to determine the root cause of the fires, a step that she has affirmed will be fundamental in reinforcing and rolling out more fire safety interventions.