Tension gripped Ithookwe area in Kitui on Tuesday after a fierce fire broke out in a family-owned forest neighbouring St Ursula Girls High School, sending shockwaves among residents and the school community.
Family spokesperson Kimanzi Mwangangi told the media that he received a distress call while in town alerting him that their forest had been engulfed in flames and the blaze was fast spreading towards the girls’ school.
On rushing to the scene, Mwangangi alleged that the fire may have been sparked by a contractor working on walkway paths along feeder roads from Kitui Town, claiming members of his team set bushes on fire near the road, which quickly spread into the forest.
“We strongly believe the contractor is responsible, and as a family we will be engaging a lawyer to pursue this matter,” Mwangangi said, noting that the entire grass cover in the forest had been destroyed.
By the time of going to press, Kitui County fire fighters were battling the flames to prevent the inferno from reaching the school and nearby homesteads.
