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In the early hours of Tuesday morning, Bishop Ndingi High School in Machakos County became the latest victim in a rising string of school dormitory fires sweeping across Kenya. A fire tore through one of the boys’ dormitories—named Ngotho—destroying everything in its path and displacing 150 students.
Fortunately, there were no injuries or fatalities, as the students were attending morning prep classes at the time the blaze broke out. Still, the incident left a devastating trail of destruction: burnt mattresses, charred lockers, and students with nothing but the clothes on their backs.
The dormitory, which accommodated over half of the school’s boarding students, was reduced to ashes. Beds, clothing, books, and personal effects went up in smoke before the fire could be contained.
Mwala Deputy County Commissioner David Tegutwa confirmed that emergency response was swift, but by the time the flames were subdued, property worth hundreds of thousands had already been lost. “The students were lucky to be out of the dorm during morning preps,” he said.
While the source of the fire remains unclear, authorities are not ruling anything out. Joint investigations by the school administration, the board of management, and local security agencies are already underway. Suspicion looms around electrical faults, deliberate arson, or even flammable contraband.
Fire disasters in schools during second term have become a concerning trend, especially during the cold months of June and July. Experts believe the increased pressure from upcoming exams, coupled with strained infrastructure and student unrest, creates a dangerous recipe for fire outbreaks.
This incident comes barely two weeks after Onjiko High School in Kisumu suffered a similar fate on July 7. In that case, another dormitory blaze broke out while students were away from the premises, sparking concerns about systemic vulnerability and poor preparedness.
The Onjiko fire destroyed everything on the second floor of a dormitory block. Flames leapt to the roof, consuming student belongings and infrastructure alike. Although both fires caused no physical harm, the psychological toll on students—many of whom have now lost academic materials and personal essentials—is immense.
Year after year, July appears to coincide with a sharp spike in school fires. It’s a month when students are under academic strain, temperatures drop, and administrative attention becomes stretched.
Several theories have been floated—from overloaded sockets, candle usage, and suspected arson linked to exam-related anxiety. But few actionable changes have followed.
Parents and education experts are now calling on school administrations and the Ministry of Education to:
-Install fire alarms and sprinklers in dormitories
-Improve routine inspections of electrical wiring
-Increase surveillance, especially at night and early morning
-Train staff and students on fire response
The Bishop Ndingi incident is a wake-up call, not just for one school but for the entire education sector. Disasters like these demand more than just recovery—they require proactive fire safety strategies. As the investigation unfolds, families, teachers, and students alike are hoping that this won’t be just another forgotten inferno in Kenya’s long list of school fire tragedies.
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