A tragic dormitory fire at Utumishi Girls Academy has now claimed the lives of 16 students, with 74 others still admitted in hospital following the devastating overnight incident in Gilgil, Nakuru County.
Police confirmed the updated death toll on Thursday morning, revising the earlier figure of 10 fatalities as rescue and identification efforts continued at the school.
According to preliminary reports, the fire broke out at around 1am inside one of the school dormitories, sparking panic among students as many attempted to escape the flames. Emergency response teams were quickly dispatched to the scene as terrified parents rushed to the institution after news of the tragedy spread across Gilgil and neighbouring areas.
The Kenya Red Cross said the incident was officially reported at around 3.30am, prompting immediate deployment of rescue teams, ambulances, and psychosocial support personnel.
“Following a fire incident reported at around 3:30am at Utumishi Girls Academy in Nakuru County, Kenya Red Cross responded to support the ongoing emergency response,” the organisation stated.
The humanitarian agency added that its emergency teams, including E-Plus ambulance crews and counsellors, were already on the ground assisting affected students, parents, and teachers as authorities continued assessing the extent of the disaster.
“Our first responders, E-Plus ambulance crew and our psychosocial support personnel are currently on the ground supporting affected students alongside other responders and relevant authorities,” stated Kenya Red Cross.
Security officers and detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations were deployed to the school immediately after the fire, with authorities launching investigations into the cause of the deadly inferno.
The Rift Valley Regional Commander Masoud Munyi confirmed that a head count was ongoing to establish the exact number of students who were in the dormitory at the time of the fire.
“We have deployed our officers and DCI detectives to the school, and a head count is currently underway to establish exactly how many students were present at the time of the fire. For now, only parents will be allowed access into the school,” he said.
Outside the school gates, scenes of anguish and confusion unfolded as anxious parents waited for updates about their children. Some parents said they were still unable to confirm the whereabouts or condition of their daughters even after being allowed into the compound.
The injured students were rushed to St. Joseph’s Hospital and other nearby medical facilities for treatment and assessment, with several reported to be in critical condition.
The incident has once again raised concerns over the increasing number of school fire outbreaks in Kenya, many of which have resulted in injuries, deaths, and destruction of property in boarding institutions.
Authorities have not yet established the exact cause of the fire, but investigations are expected to focus on possible electrical faults, negligence, or other factors that may have contributed to the tragedy.
More updates are expected as rescue operations and identification efforts continue throughout the day.