Fire Outbreak At Kenyan Primary School Kills 17 Students, Injures 16

At least 17 students have lost their lives after a fire broke out in a dormitory at a primary boarding school in Central Kenya on Thursday night.

There are concerns that the number of deaths could rise, as more than a dozen students have been hospitalized with severe burns.

The cause of the fire which happened in the early hours of Friday at Hillside Endarasha Academy, a primary school in Nyeri County, is still unknown.

Kenyan President William Ruto described the incident as “devastating” and promised that those responsible would be held accountable.

“Our thoughts are with the families of the children who have lost their lives in the fire tragedy,” he wrote on X.

“I instruct relevant authorities to thoroughly investigate this horrific incident. Those responsible will be held to account.”

Vice-President Rigathi Gachagua urged school officials to ensure they follow the safety measures recommended by the education ministry for boarding schools.

The fire started around midnight local time while more than 150 students were in the dormitory, according to police chief, Pius Murugu.

The flames spread quickly, as most of the school buildings were made of wood, reported a journalist from Citizen TV.

Police spokesperson Resila Onyango told AFP news agency that the bodies found were “burnt beyond recognition.”

She said, “There are 17 fatalities from this incident and there are also others who were taken to hospital with serious injuries.

“The bodies recovered at the scene were burnt beyond recognition.”

“We are investigating the cause and will take necessary action. Our team is at the scene at the moment.

“More bodies are likely to be recovered once [the] scene is fully processed.”

The Kenya Red Cross is offering trauma counseling for the students, teachers, and affected families and has set up a support desk at the school.

Hillside Endarasha Academy is a private primary school near Nyeri town, about 150 km (93 miles) north of Nairobi, with over 800 students, mostly aged between five and 12.

KanyiDaily had also reported how 11 students died and six others in critical condition after fire razed through an Uganda school for the blind in the central part of the country.