Nairobi: A devastating fire swept through a dormitory at the Hillside Endarasha Academy in central Kenya, killing 17 boys as they slept early on Friday. The tragedy occurred at the boarding school located in Nyeri, about 150 kilometers (93 miles) from Nairobi. Local police confirmed the fatalities and reported several injuries.
“We saw several children in there that had been burnt,” said Phillip Gathogo, a local resident who witnessed the aftermath. “I was just lucky to save one of them, but I heard that he later died. It was a very troubling and sad tragedy.”
The blaze broke out in the boys’ dormitory, which housed 156 students in grades 4 to 8, aged between 9 and 13 years. Government spokesperson Isaac Mwaura confirmed the extent of the disaster, noting that the fire left 17 pupils dead and 14 others injured.
Ongoing Search for Missing Pupils
Police spokesperson Resila Onyango stated, “We have lost 17 pupils in the fire incident while 14 are injured. Our team is at the scene at the moment.” Vice President Rigathi Gachagua added that 70 students remained unaccounted for, although it was suspected that some had been taken home by their parents during the night.
Citizen Television reported that many of the victims had been burned beyond recognition. The cause of the fire is still under investigation.
Interior Minister Kithure Kindiki, who visited the scene, said, “Many children managed to jump out and get to safety, but we do not know how many were successful.” He assured the public that full accountability would be pursued, writing on X (formerly Twitter), “The government assures full accountability for all whose action or inaction contributed to this tremendous loss.”
Kindiki also urged local residents who had sheltered survivors to return them to the school to receive medical assistance and counseling.
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A History of School Fires in Kenya
President William Ruto expressed his sorrow over the “horrific incident” and directed authorities to investigate the tragedy thoroughly. “Those responsible will be held to account,” Ruto vowed.
The Hillside Endarasha Academy has a total of 824 students, with 160 girls boarding while the rest are day scholars, according to Belio Kipsang, the Education Ministry’s Principal Secretary.
Kenya has faced a series of tragic school fires over the years. In 2017, nine students perished in a fire at a Nairobi school, which was later attributed to arson. One of the deadliest incidents occurred in 2001, when 58 boys died in a dormitory fire at Kyanguli Secondary School near Nairobi. In 2012, eight students lost their lives in another school fire in Homa Bay County.
