At least 15 students died when a fire tore through a dormitory at Utumishi Girls’ Academy Senior School in Gilgil, Nakuru County, central Kenya. According to police reports seen by Reuters and other outlets, the blaze occurred overnight while about 220 girls were sleeping.
Key Takeaways
A fire tore through a girls' boarding school in central Kenya overnight, killing at least 15 students and injuring dozens more. According to police reports, the blaze occurred at Utumishi Girls’ Academy Senior School in Gilgil, Nakuru County. The cause of the fire remains unknown.
- At least 15 girls died in the dormitory fire according to multiple sources.
- Dozens were injured and hospitalized with some jumping from upper floors to escape.
- Police are searching for pupils who may have fled during the chaos.
- School fires are common in Kenya, often linked to arson or electrical faults.
The cause of the fire remains unknown as investigations continue. Police sources told Agence France-Presse that at least 16 people had been killed, with 73 hospitalized according to The Guardian. Education Minister Julius Migos reported that 79 students were injured but most have since been discharged from hospital.
Parents and relatives gathered outside the school in distress as emergency responders worked to evacuate those trapped inside. Footage aired by Citizen Television showed broken window panes and smoke-stained walls, with family members seeking news of missing loved ones according to Reuters.
The tragedy is the latest in a series of fatal fires at Kenyan schools. In 2024 alone, there have been over 100 recorded incidents, many linked to student protests against harsh discipline and poor conditions as reported by TimesLIVE and CBS News. Previous deadly blazes include one in 2024 that killed 21 students in nearby Nyeri County.
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