NAIROBI, Kenya (Horn post) At least 16 students were killed and 79 others injured after a fire broke out Thursday at Utumishi Girls Academy in Gilgil, about 120 kilometers northwest of Nairobi, authorities said, reigniting concerns over safety standards in Kenya’s boarding schools.
Police and education officials said investigations are ongoing to determine the cause of the blaze. More than 800 pupils were in the school at the time of the fire.
Parents gathered at the school throughout Thursday night, anxiously awaiting confirmation about their children as emergency responders continued search and identification efforts.
“Don’t you understand? I just want to know if she is dead or alive,” one parent told police guarding the school compound.
Most of the injured students have since been discharged from hospital, officials said.
The tragedy has sparked renewed public scrutiny of boarding school safety in Kenya, where deadly dormitory fires have occurred repeatedly in recent years.
Just two years ago, at least 21 students died in a similar dormitory fire in central Kenya. Earlier incidents have also been linked to arson, overcrowding, and failure to comply with fire safety regulations, including blocked exits and inward-opening doors.
Education officials have previously warned that many schools still fail to meet basic safety requirements, with inspections finding widespread use of barred windows and limited escape routes.
“We trusted this school with our children. Right now, we don’t even know who is alive,” another parent said at the scene.
Authorities have urged the public to avoid speculation as investigations continue.
Kenya’s deadliest school fire occurred in 2001 in Machakos County, when 67 students died after a dormitory was set ablaze.
Officials say the latest incident highlights the urgent need for stricter enforcement of school safety standards nationwide.
Prepared by:
Horn post staff
Hargeisa News Desk
