School closed as dorm catches fire

By Antony Gitonga                              

Njabini High School in Kinangop Nyandarua County has been closed down indefinitely after fire burnt down one of the dormitories in unclear circumstances.

Incidentally, this is the third time in three months that the school’s dormitories have gone up in smoke.

As the teachers strike entered day five, the over 500 students were sent packing with fingers pointing at foul play.

No one was injured during the midday incident but property belonging to over 100 students was completely burnt down.

In June and July this year, a mysterious fire burnt two other different dormitories with the management attributing the problem to electrical fault.

But the area District Education Officer Njoka Mwangi ruled out electrical fault saying that it was foul play.

“We have closed down the school indefinitely and sent the children home as the coincidence of fire on three occasions is too much,” he said.

Njoka regretted the incident just as learning resumed saying that police had been called in to investigate the case.

Engineer division OCPD Samson Munyao confirmed the incident adding that no student was injured in the inferno.

He said that investigations had started to establish the cause of the fire adding that during the incident, power had been switched off.

“At the moment we are still trying to put off the fire and we call for patience as investigations start,” he said.

Former area Mp Waithaka Mwangi who is also seeking Nyandarua County governor seat said that there was a problem in the institution.

At the school, tens of locals milled to try and extinguish the fire and at one time gave up due to its intensity.