At least 16 students have died following a devastating fire that broke out at a girls’ boarding school in Gilgil, about 120 kilometers west of Kenya’s capital, Nairobi.
The fire engulfed a dormitory at Utumishi Girls School in the early hours of Thursday morning while students were asleep, according to Kenyan police and the Kenya Red Cross.
Emergency response teams were immediately deployed to the scene as rescue operations continued throughout the day. Authorities said efforts to search for survivors and assess the full extent of the damage were still ongoing by Thursday afternoon.
Police confirmed that the cause of the fire had not yet been established, adding that investigations are underway.
Speaking to anxious parents and residents gathered outside the school, police official Masoud Mwinyi described the incident as “tragic and heartbreaking.”
The Kenya Red Cross also participated in the rescue and emergency support operations, assisting affected students and families.
School fires have remained a recurring concern in Kenya, particularly in boarding institutions where overcrowding and inadequate safety measures are often blamed for the high number of casualties during such incidents.
Authorities have repeatedly called for stronger fire safety standards in schools, including improved dormitory infrastructure, emergency exits, and regular safety inspections.
Outside the school compound, large crowds gathered as worried parents waited for information about their children. Only parents and guardians were allowed access into the school premises as officials continued rescue and identification efforts.
The tragedy has once again raised concerns about student safety in Kenyan boarding schools.
