At least 16 students have died and several others were injured after a devastating fire swept through a girls’ boarding school in Kenya’s Nakuru County in the early hours of Thursday.
The blaze broke out at Utumishi Girls Academy in Gilgil, about 120 kilometers northwest of Nairobi, while students were asleep in their dormitories, triggering panic as hundreds attempted to escape.
Kenyan authorities confirmed that 16 students lost their lives in the tragedy, while dozens sustained injuries of varying severity. Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba, who visited the scene, said 71 injured students had been treated and discharged from hospital, while seven remained admitted for further medical care.
According to police, the fire started at around 1:00 a.m. and rapidly engulfed a dormitory housing approximately 220 students. Emergency response teams managed to contain the flames by about 3:00 a.m., but not before extensive damage had been done.
“The dormitory was completely destroyed,” Ogamba told reporters, describing the incident as one of the country’s latest school fire tragedies.
Witnesses said many students were forced to flee in darkness and confusion as the fire spread through the building. Some reportedly sustained injuries after jumping from upper floors while attempting to escape the flames.
Family members who rushed to the school following news of the fire described scenes of fear and uncertainty.
Wambui Nderitu, whose cousin attends the school, said parents and relatives gathered outside the institution desperately seeking information about their children.
“When we arrived, there was confusion everywhere. People were worried because reports had already emerged that some students had died while others had been taken to hospital,” she said.
Nderitu added that her cousin survived the fire but suffered a broken leg during the escape.
Police commander Masoud Mwinyi said authorities were still accounting for all students, noting that some fled into nearby communities during the chaos.
“As we speak, our officers are combing the area because some students fled in shock and fear during the night,” Mwinyi said.
The school has since been cordoned off as investigators work to establish the cause of the fire. Access to the premises has been restricted, with only parents and authorized personnel permitted entry.
Search-and-rescue operations continued throughout the day, while emergency teams from the Kenya Red Cross provided support to affected students and families.
Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen expressed condolences to the bereaved families and urged the public to avoid speculation as investigations continue.
“It is a very anxious moment. We stand with the affected families in prayer and support during this difficult time,” Murkomen said.
The tragedy has once again drawn attention to the persistent problem of school fires in Kenya, particularly in boarding institutions.
The country has recorded numerous deadly dormitory fires over the years, with investigators often linking incidents to arson, overcrowding, poor safety standards, and inadequate emergency preparedness.
One of Kenya’s deadliest school fire disasters occurred in 2001 when 67 students died after a dormitory was set ablaze at a secondary school in Machakos County.
More recently, a dormitory fire in central Kenya claimed the lives of at least 21 students in 2024, while other incidents in 2022 and 2017 also resulted in deaths and widespread destruction.
Government data has previously highlighted the scale of the problem. The Ministry of Education reported 126 cases of school arson between January and November 2020, underscoring ongoing concerns about safety in educational institutions.
As investigations into the Gilgil tragedy continue, authorities are expected to review safety measures at schools across the country to prevent similar incidents in the future.
The Ministry of Education said students would be released to their parents and guardians as investigations and recovery efforts proceed.