Fire Guts Dormitory at Sameta Boys Senior School in Kisii County

A dormitory at Sameta Boys Senior School in Kisii County was badly damaged by fire on Monday afternoon. Students inside the institution were in class when the blaze started, sending many into panic as smoke rose from the building.

Local residents and school staff rushed to the scene with buckets of water, trying to save what they could. Videos circulating online showed flames consuming sections of the structure, with thick smoke visible from a distance.

By late afternoon, the fire had been brought under control. Property destroyed inside the dormitory remains unvalued for now. Authorities have yet to confirm the full extent of structural damage to the building itself.

One student who was reportedly inside when the fire began suffered minor injuries. No other casualties were recorded.

The cause of the incident has not been established. Police and fire officials have launched investigations, with no indication yet of foul play.

This latest fire comes just days after a tragic blaze at Utumishi Girls Academy in Gilgil, Nakuru County, that claimed 16 lives. That incident prompted swift action from government ministries. Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen directed all boarding schools to install closed-circuit television cameras in key areas. Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba ordered nationwide safety inspections of boarding facilities over the next 10 days.

School dormitories have come under particular scrutiny in recent safety reviews. Many older boarding structures in Kenya were built decades ago with limited fire-resistant materials or inadequate escape routes. Overcrowding in some institutions has also raised concerns about compliance with basic fire safety standards.

Construction experts familiar with school infrastructure note that proper compartmentalisation, fire-rated doors, and functional hydrants can limit damage when fires break out. Whether Sameta's dormitory met current building regulations will likely form part of the ongoing probe.

The Sameta incident adds to a pattern of dormitory fires across Kenyan secondary schools. While many are contained quickly, the human and material costs continue to mount. Education officials say the fresh round of audits will target dormitories specifically, looking at electrical wiring, construction quality, and emergency preparedness.

Principals and boards found non-compliant could face strict penalties once the inspections conclude. For now, students at Sameta Boys Senior School are dealing with the immediate disruption. The school has not yet issued a detailed statement on when normal operations might resume or how affected students will be accommodated.