Panic has gripped Dr Aggrey High School after a fire broke out on Thursday afternoon, April 30, sending thick plumes of smoke billowing into the sky and forcing students and teachers to flee for safety.
The blaze, whose cause remains unknown, erupted within the school compound in Taita Taveta County, prompting an emergency response from Kenya Red Cross officials and local residents.
In a brief statement, the humanitarian agency confirmed the incident, saying: “A fire has broken out at Dr Aggrey High School in Taita Taveta County. The cause is unknown.”
Dramatic images circulating online show a building—believed to be a classroom—engulfed in flames, with dense black smoke rising high above the institution. Students and staff were seen gathered at a distance, some appearing distressed as others scrambled to evacuate the premises.
Emergency responders, alongside members of the community and the Red Cross Taita Taveta branch, were swiftly deployed to the scene in a bid to contain the inferno.
“Community members, students and our Kenya Red Cross – Taita Taveta Branch team are on the ground and actively working to contain the situation,” the organisation added.
As of the time of publication, no casualties had been reported, although authorities were expected to assess the damage and establish the cause of the fire.
The latest incident adds to growing concern over a string of school fires reported across the country, particularly following the reopening of schools for the second term.
Notably, Dr Aggrey High School has previously experienced similar tragedies. In 2025, the institution was closed indefinitely after two dormitories were destroyed in a separate fire incident.
The crisis appears to mirror a similar blaze at Mithiru Girls High School in Limuru earlier the same day, where a dormitory was reduced to ashes, causing losses estimated to run into millions of shillings.
School officials at Mithiru indicated that the fire was likely triggered by an electrical fault, forcing the administration to shut down the institution indefinitely.
One parent described the confusion and disruption caused by the sudden closure, saying: “The school called and told us the school has shut down indefinitely, and we should come and pick up our children.”
With multiple fire incidents now reported within hours of each other, questions are mounting over the safety of learning institutions and whether there may be underlying causes behind the alarming trend.
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