As many as 15 schoolgirls are feared dead after a huge blaze tore through a dormitory in the middle of the night at a Kenyan boarding school, police have confirmed.
The fire erupted at Utumishi Girls’ Academy Senior School in Nakuru county, leaving the building gutted as frantic parents gathered outside after learning of the blaze. Officers say it is still not known how many pupils were injured in the fatal incident, the Mirror reports.
Rescue teams spent the early hours combing through the wreckage after the blaze broke out at about 1am local time, according to Capital FM, which cited regional police commander Samuel Ndanyi.
View 2 ImagesPolice are leading rescue and emergency response efforts(Image: Kenya Police)
In 2024, a fire killed 21 students at a primary boarding school in nearby Nyeri county. “It is a distressing and saddening situation,” county police official Masoud Mwinyi told distraught parents outside the school.
Firefighters and police officers had fanned out to control the blaze and evacuate other students, Capital FM added. The cause of the fire is not yet known.
A statement from the Kenya Police Service said: “Deputy Inspector General of Police Eliud Lagat is at Utumishi Girls Senior School in Gilgil, Nakuru County, where police are leading rescue and emergency response efforts following a tragic dormitory fire in which a number of students have unfortunately lost their lives.
“Several other students were injured and are receiving treatment as the National Police Service, working alongside the Kenya Defence Forces, Ministry of Education, Interior, The County Government of Nakuru, the NGAO, The Kenya Redcross and other emergency teams, continues with search, rescue and support operations.
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“We are working to account for all students and support affected families during this difficult time.”
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