Alliance High School students sent home after fire incident

Students at Alliance High School have been sent home after a fire broke out at the institution on Thursday morning, destroying a mattress storage facility within the school compound.

According to the school's principal, all students were safely accounted for and no injuries were reported following the incident.

Parents were subsequently asked to pick up their children as authorities began assessing the situation and investigating the cause of the fire.

The principal confirmed that the blaze affected a store used to keep mattresses, but the full extent of the damage is yet to be established.

Fortunately, firefighters responded quickly and managed to contain the flames before they spread to other sections of the school. Their swift intervention prevented what could have been a much larger disaster.

The Alliance High School incident comes at a time when schools across Kenya are facing increasing cases of unrest, arson and disruptions that have led to closures and the suspension of learning in several institutions.

Several schools have been forced to send students home after unrest broke out, with administrators citing safety concerns and destruction of property. Recent reports indicate that some institutions have experienced strikes, vandalism and attempted arson attack.

The Alliance fire also comes after the tragic inferno at Utumishi Girls Academy in Gilgil that claimed the lives of 16 students and left dozens injured.

Investigators later found that the deadly dormitory fire was a result of arson attack, with nine students presented in court as suspects behind the arson.

Stakeholders have since raised concerns about safety standards, emergency preparedness and the growing trend of student-related unrest in schools.

According to reports, the Kenya Red Cross has responded to dozens of school fire incidents in 2026 alone, highlighting the scale of the challenge facing the education sector.