St. John’s Girls Secondary School in Kaloleni, Kilifi County has been closed temporarily after a fire razed the institution’s dormitory.
The fire broke out during the students’ evening lessons, leaving them grappling with substantial losses.
Kaloleni Member of Parliament, Paul Katana, shared his perspective on the outbreak, explaining the decision by the school’s management to alleviate the students’ panic by releasing them.
Katana recounted the distressing moment, stating, “Yesterday at around 8 pm, I received a call that this school was burning. I was in a meeting with fellow MPs, but I was able to contact the headteacher to confirm the incident.”
![St. John's GIRLS' Secondary school gate.](http://thekenyatimes.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/kalolenil-750x375.jpg)
“I was told that the students were still in class, so far no one has been affected and we thank God for that. I also want to laud the County Government for its effort in sending a fire brigade to quell the inferno.”
Acknowledging the emotional toll on the students, Katana reported that the school has decided to send students home over the weekend so they can relax with their parents as the institution plans for a makeshift dormitory.
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Fire Causes School Closure
“The students are traumatized a bit we have allowed them to go and stay with their parents. Meanwhile, we are making some arrangements to have a makeshift dormitory,” the MP, relieved to report zero casualties said.
Swift intervention by police officers, firefighters, and community members at the scene played a crucial role in dousing the flames and mitigating further damage.
Despite the intense loss, the cause of the fire remains shrouded in mystery, prompting investigations to unravel the finer details.
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Other Related Cases
Similarly, this incident echoes a recent calamity on January 13 at Nyakoiba Mixed Secondary School in Kisii County, where two dormitories succumbed to a fierce inferno, disrupting learning activities.
In a testament to community solidarity, residents promptly responded, aiding in containing the fire until County firefighters arrived.
Although property valued at Ksh10 million was lost, including significant contributions from students, the fortunate absence of injuries provides a glimmer of solace.
The multi-agency team present at the scene called on the school management and multiple stakeholders to invest in firefighting equipment citing that a fast response could have stopped the dormitories from being brought down by the fire.
![Nyakoiba school in Kisii dormitory on fire.](http://thekenyatimes.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/kisii.jpg)