By Mumo Judah
Molo, Nakuru County, May 31, 2026
All students at St. Joseph’s Seminary Senior School in Molo were safely evacuated after a fire broke out in one of the institution’s dormitories on Saturday night, destroying property worth millions of shillings and reigniting concerns over student safety in boarding schools across the country.
The fire, which started at approximately 10:00 p.m. as students were preparing to retire for the night, quickly engulfed a dormitory block before emergency responders arrived at the scene. School administrators and staff acted swiftly to evacuate students from the affected building, ensuring that no injuries or fatalities were reported.
Witnesses described scenes of panic as students rushed out of the dormitory while flames spread through sections of the structure. Many learners were unable to retrieve their personal belongings, with uniforms, books, electronic devices and other valuables believed to have been destroyed in the blaze.
Emergency response teams from the Nakuru County Government, supported by local firefighters, were dispatched to the school and worked through the night to contain the fire and prevent it from spreading to nearby buildings. Their efforts successfully brought the situation under control, although substantial damage had already been inflicted on the dormitory.
Authorities have not yet established the cause of the fire. Investigators and disaster management officials have begun assessing the scene as part of efforts to determine what triggered the inferno and whether any safety lapses may have contributed to the incident.
The latest fire comes at a time when concerns over safety standards in boarding schools are growing across the country. The incident occurred only days after a separate and tragic dormitory fire at Utumishi Girls’ High School in Gilgil, Nakuru County, which claimed the lives of several students and prompted nationwide mourning.
The proximity of the two incidents has intensified calls for a comprehensive review of safety measures in learning institutions, particularly boarding schools where large numbers of students reside within dormitory facilities.
Education stakeholders, parents and community leaders have urged authorities to expedite investigations into recent school fires and ensure that institutions comply with national safety regulations. Questions are increasingly being raised about the adequacy of fire detection systems, emergency exits, evacuation procedures and routine safety inspections in schools.
Officials from the Ministry of Education are expected to monitor the situation closely as investigations continue. The ministry has in recent years emphasized the importance of strict adherence to boarding school safety guidelines, including the installation of firefighting equipment, emergency preparedness training and regular infrastructure audits.
Parents of students at St. Joseph’s Seminary expressed relief that all learners escaped unharmed but called for urgent action to prevent similar incidents from recurring. Many said the destruction of students’ personal belongings would place an additional burden on families already facing economic challenges.
As investigators work to establish the cause of the fire, attention is likely to remain focused on the broader issue of school safety and the measures required to protect students in boarding institutions across Kenya. The incident serves as yet another reminder of the need for heightened vigilance and stronger safeguards to prevent tragedies within the country’s education sector.
