Kaplong Girls Dormitory Razed Down as County Fails to Respond on Time
By Festus Ronoh || Kass Digital
A dormitory at Kaplong Girls Secondary School in Bomet County was on Saturday evening reduced to ashes after a fierce fire swept through the building, destroying students’ belongings of unknown value.
The fire, which reportedly started around 5:00 p.m., quickly spread through the dormitory, sending students into panic as they tried to salvage their personal items. Fortunately, no student was injured during the incident.
According to eyewitnesses, the County Government of Bomet, through its Department of Disaster Management, failed to respond on time despite distress calls from the school administration and residents of the Kaplong community.
“It took more than an hour for the county fire engine to arrive, yet the fire had already consumed everything,” said one resident who helped in the rescue efforts.
Before the arrival of the fire brigade, residents and teachers used water and sand in an attempt to stop the fire from spreading to nearby dormitories and classrooms. Their quick action helped contain the flames before they reached other structures within the school compound.
The residents and school community have since condemned the county government for what they termed negligence and poor disaster preparedness. They called on the county to station firefighting equipment in every sub-county to ensure quick response to emergencies.
The school administration confirmed that no student was harmed and that all learners have been released until further notice as investigations into the cause of the fire begin.
Police have since launched investigations, and several students suspected to have been involved in the incident have been arrested for questioning.
The incident has once again raised concerns over the state of disaster response in Bomet County, with locals urging the authorities to invest more in emergency services to prevent future losses.
