Kakamega High students injured in stampede
The main entrance to the Kakamega County General, Teaching and Referral Hospital.
Thirteen Kakamega High School students were injured after they fell from the first floor of a building block as they left their classrooms.
The incident was reportedly triggered by a commotion involving two students. One of the two allegedly pushed his colleague and as they were tugging at each other, they fell to the ground after the steel guard rails on the stairs came off.
A commotion ensued as other students panicked and started rushing back and forth, with some falling off the stairs to the ground and suffering slight injuries in the Monday incident.
The injured students were rushed to Kakamega County General Hospital, treated and discharged, said Kakamega County Health executive Dr Collins Matemba.
A team from the county public works department was sent to the school to examine the structure of the stairs and guard rails.
A report on the safety of the structure and the design of the guard rails was being prepared by the team.
Principal Gerald Orina described the incident as unfortunate but assured parents that the matter would be investigated and there was no cause for alarm.
“Two of the students sustained fractures and are receiving treatment while the rest were slightly injured and are out of danger,” Mr Orina said.
Kakamega Central Sub-County Police Commander Valerian Obore said the incident was being investigated.
The incident was similar to one that happened at Kakamega Primary School on February 3, 2020. Some 14 pupils – nine girls and four boys – died and several others were injured in a stampede as they left their classroom to go home at the end of their lessons.
The pupils were trampled in the commotion as they rushed down the stairs. The cause of the stampede was not established.
