Fire destroys dorm at Karia Boys High School

Property worth millions of shillings was destroyed on Sunday night when another dormitory caught fire at Karia Boys High School in Kirinyaga County in a suspected arson attack.

The students were on night preps when a huge fire broke out in the dormitory and left a trail of destruction. During the incident, beds, mattresses, uniforms, textbooks and other items belonging to the students were destroyed and nothing was salvaged during the incident. This is the second dormitory to be burnt down in the learning institution in a span of two weeks.

According to the Kirinyaga Central deputy county commissioner, Daniel Ndege, more than 90 students were left in the cold. “We suspect that this arson attack has been committed by students who are abusing drugs," he said. He added that investigations had commenced and that those found to be implicated will be arrested and prosecuted.

The school principal, Gideon Gikunda said the learning institution’s board of management will meet to decide the fate of the students. “We are taking the matter seriously and we shall not spare students who are involved in criminal activities," he said.

Area Member of Parliament, Mr Munene Wambugu narrated how he visited the school recently and donated Sh1million Constituency Development Fund to help rebuild the first dormitory which had been torched.
"I'm surprised another dormitory has been burnt even before the first is rebuilt. The parents should now pay for the damages caused," he said.

At the same time, Mr Wambugu criticised the county government for failing to send fire fighters to the school to put out the fire.
"The devolved government did not respond at all when fire was reported in the school yet it has a fire engine," he said.