Another Fire Razes Kenyan School Just Days After Blaze Claimed 21 Lives

Fire outbreak occurred on Saturday at a girls’ boarding school in Isiolo, central Kenya, injuring at least three students.

This incident comes just days after another fire at a boarding school in Nyeri, also in central Kenya, killed at least 21 children late Thursday night.

A police spokesperson said that the fire in Isiolo destroyed dormitories at Isiolo Girls High School before it was brought under control.

The cause of the fire remains unknown, adding to concerns as Kenya has faced multiple school fires in recent years, raising questions about safety standards.

The Kenya Red Cross confirmed that the injured students suffered minor wounds and received psychological support.

Rescue teams, including police and fire officials, were seen using flashlights to search the wreckage of the dormitories for any students or belongings, according to Reuters.

Meanwhile, authorities plan to begin DNA testing on Monday to identify the remains of children who died in the fire at Hillside Endarasha Academy on Thursday night.

Seventeen children are still missing, leaving parents and relatives gathered at the school, demanding answers.

President William Ruto has declared three days of national mourning for the fire victims, starting Monday.

The Director of Public Prosecutions, Renson Ingonga, has called for an investigation to determine if negligence or recklessness played a role.

Ingonga noted that this tragedy is a painful reminder of past school fires, which often involved lapses in safety standards.

Kenya has seen several school fires in recent years, including a 2022 dormitory fire in western Kenya, where students were later arrested for arson.

In 2017, an arson attack at Moi Girls High School in Nairobi killed 10 students, and the deadliest school fire in Kenya occurred over 20 years ago in Machakos County, claiming the lives of 67 students.

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.