Four dormitories torched at Madogo Secondary School in Tana River

One student was arrested and Madogo Secondary School in Tana River County closed after four dormitories were burnt.

The yesterday's fire, believed to have been started by petrol bombs, saw most students flee with some belongings across a bridge to Garissa, leaving behind smouldering buildings. Madogo is a mixed day and boarding school in Bura sub-county.

Bura sub-county education officer Suleiman Nur described the "arson" as beastly.

He disclosed that early this week Form Four students dispatched an anonymous notice warning authorities of violence if they continued pressing the learners to sit examinations.

Tana North OCPD Tom Okoth said investigations had begun, and that one student, a Form Two, had been detained for interrogation.

Petrol bombs used

“Three others escaped," Mr Okoth told The Standard on the telephone.

According to school board Chairman Mbarak Godana, the students used petrol bombs to start the fires at around 7am, after the other learners had left the dormitories.

Mr Godana said the board met and resolved to close the school and cancel examinations.

"Right now we are in a meeting to disperse the remaining students to go home until a proper arrangement is made,” he said.

Tana, one of the dormitories, had been partially burnt three months ago and was undergoing repairs, with some students it accommodated earlier sleeping in classrooms. Yesterday, again, it was one of those burnt.

Last week, three other secondary schools had fire incidences, sparking fear and anxiety at Hola Boys, Hirimani Secondary and Bangala Secondary schools.

Investigations at Hola Boys established that the fire resulted from an exploding electrical transformer.

Early this week, Mokowe Secondary School, Lamu also had a fire incident