A fire at a girls’ boarding school in Kenya has left at least 16 students dead and nearly 80 others injured, renewing concerns about safety standards in the country’s schools and the government’s response to repeated fire disasters.
The blaze broke out in the early hours of Thursday at Utumishi Girls Academy in Nakuru County, about 120 kilometres north of Nairobi. According to Kenyan authorities, the fire started shortly before 1:00 a.m. local time and rapidly spread through one of the school dormitories while students were asleep.
Education Minister Julius Migos Ogamba confirmed the death toll during a visit to the school, describing the incident as tragic and devastating for the affected families.
“We have 16 fatalities. It’s an unfortunate incident,” Ogamba told reporters gathered outside the school compound.
Emergency responders rushed injured students to nearby hospitals. Officials said 79 students were receiving treatment for burns, smoke inhalation, and other injuries sustained during the fire. Authorities have not yet released the identities or ages of the victims.
Scenes outside the school reflected the scale of the tragedy. Parents and guardians gathered near the entrance of the academy, many waiting for updates about their children. Local media reported that security officials restricted access to parts of the school as investigators worked to identify victims and determine the cause of the fire.
Kenyan President William Ruto reacted to the incident in a statement posted on X, expressing sympathy to the affected families and calling the deaths an “unimaginable tragedy.”
“Our hearts and prayers are with the families who have lost their beloved daughters,” the president said.
Interior Minister Kipchumba Murkomen also visited the school and urged the public to avoid speculation while investigations continue. He noted that the institution is linked to Kenya’s National Police Service and that many of the students are children of police officers.
“We know that this is a very anxious moment,” Murkomen told journalists at the scene.
Authorities have not confirmed what triggered the fire. Investigators from the police and fire department have begun examining the dormitory and surrounding buildings for evidence.
The latest incident has revived public attention on the long history of school fires in Kenya, many of which have resulted in mass casualties. Boarding schools remain common across the country, a system largely inherited from British colonial education structures and missionary-run institutions. Large numbers of students often sleep in crowded dormitories, raising concerns about emergency preparedness and evacuation procedures.
Over the years, several investigations into school fires have pointed to poor infrastructure, overcrowding, locked exits, and inadequate fire safety measures as contributing factors in many cases.
Some previous incidents have also involved deliberate acts of arson. In 2018 alone, Kenya recorded at least 63 school arson cases, according to local reports. Education officials and criminologists have previously linked the trend to exam pressure, disciplinary conflicts, and emotional stress among students.
One of the country’s deadliest school fire disasters occurred in 2001, when 67 students died in a dormitory fire at a secondary school in Machakos County. Authorities later accused students of starting the blaze intentionally.
More recently, in 2024, another dormitory fire killed 21 boys at Hillside Endarasha Academy in Nyeri County. That incident triggered nationwide outrage and prompted the Kenyan government to announce a comprehensive audit of school safety standards.
Following the 2024 fire, officials promised stricter enforcement of building regulations, improved emergency response systems, and legal action against schools that failed to comply with safety requirements. However, it remains unclear how much progress has been made since those commitments were announced.
Thursday’s tragedy is likely to increase pressure on the government to provide answers about the condition of boarding schools and the enforcement of safety regulations across the country.
For many families, the focus remains on identifying victims and supporting injured students still receiving treatment. Authorities said counselling and emergency support services would be provided for students, parents, and school staff affected by the incident.
