At least 16 students have been confirmed dead while 73 others are receiving treatment following a devastating fire that gutted a dormitory at Utumishi Girls Academy in Gilgil, Nakuru County, in one of the country’s deadliest school fire tragedies in recent years.
Authorities said Form Three and Form Four students are among the most affected in the early morning inferno whose cause remains under investigation.
Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen and Director of Criminal Investigations Mohamed Amin arrived at the school as investigations intensified into the circumstances surrounding the tragedy.
Education CS Julius Ogamba who also condoled with the bereaved families says the cause of fire is yet to be established.
“It is a sad day. We woke up with fire incident at about 12:45am on one of the dorms in the second floor of the dormitory. This school has a total of 815 girls. At the time, there were 808 students. Out of these, 16 died, 79 others were injured and rushed to hospital, with 71 already discharged. It is an unfortunate incident,” Ogamba said.
Emergency response teams comprising officers from the Red Cross,
National Police Service, Kenya Defence Forces, County Disaster Units, medical personnel, and fire
response teams to contain the situation and provide urgent assistance and rescue personnel.
Distraught parents and relatives gathered at the institution seeking information about their daughters.
President William Ruto led the country in mourning the victims, describing the incident as a heartbreaking national tragedy.
“Our hearts and prayers are with the families who have lost their beloved daughters in the tragic fire at Utumishi Girls Academy in Gilgil,” President Ruto said on his Facebook page.
The Head of State said the government’s immediate focus was on rescue efforts, treatment of the injured and support for affected families as investigations continue into the cause of the fire.
“No words can truly ease the pain of losing young lives filled with promise, hope and dreams for the future. As a nation, we mourn with the parents, guardians, teachers and fellow students who are enduring this unimaginable tragedy,” he added.
Former Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka also condoled with the bereaved families, saying the country had lost young girls whose futures had been cut short.
“They were daughters, sisters and friends; precious girls full of dreams, full of promise, full of life. Today, their families are shattered, and we weep together with them,” said Kalonzo.
He challenged leaders attending the National Prayer Breakfast to move beyond prayers and take concrete action to strengthen safety in schools.
“As leaders, we will be judged not by what we said in prayer this morning, but by what we did for the least of these in the days that follow,” he said.
Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua termed the incident unfortunate and called for speedy investigations to establish whether negligence contributed to the disaster.
“This tragedy remains an unfortunate event that should never have occurred in our modern day Kenya. I urge speedy investigations into this matter and those culpable of commission or omission must face the full force of the law,” said Gachagua.
He further called for improved disaster preparedness in schools and public institutions, warning against reactive responses whenever tragedies occur.
The latest incident revives painful memories of past school fire disasters in Kenya that prompted calls for stronger safety measures in learning institutions.
Police have since cordoned off the affected dormitory as forensic experts begin investigations into the cause of the blaze.
Edited by John Majau
