Fire Kills 16, Injures 73 at Kenya Girls’ School
A fire outbreak at a girls’ boarding school in Kenya has reportedly left 16 students dead and 73 others hospitalised after flames engulfed a dormitory at Utumishi Girls Academy in Nakuru County on Thursday.
Kenya police sources said the incident occurred around 1:00 am local time at Utumishi Girls Academy in Nakuru County, about 120 kilometres north of Nairobi.
Local media reports indicated that the fire started in a dormitory where about 220 girls were sleeping at the time.
It was not immediately confirmed whether all the victims were pupils, although authorities said the casualties were drawn from the affected dormitory.
A spokesperson for the Kenyan Red Cross said emergency responders, ambulance crews and support teams were deployed to the scene, while declining to confirm the exact death toll.
The school is located in an area that hosts several police and military training facilities linked to Kenya’s National Police Service.
Frantic parents were reportedly being kept outside the school premises as authorities managed rescue and recovery operations.
School fires remain a recurring tragedy in Kenya, where boarding schools are common due to a long-standing educational system influenced by missionary and colonial-era structures.
In 2024, a similar incident at Hillside Endarasha Academy in Nyeri County claimed the lives of 21 boys after a dormitory fire.
Authorities have in the past linked some school fires to arson, with reports of multiple incidents recorded in previous years.
A 2018 report cited dozens of school arson cases, while earlier findings attributed some outbreaks to exam pressure, stress, and the circulation of contraband mobile phones among students.
Following the 2024 tragedy, the government pledged to conduct nationwide safety audits of schools and prosecute those found responsible for violations.
Titilope Adako is a talented and intrepid journalist, dedicated to shedding light on the untold stories of Osun State and Nigeria. Through incisive reporting, she tackles a broad spectrum of topics, from politics and social justice to culture and entertainment, with a commitment to accuracy, empathy, and inspiring positive change.
