Nyeri, Kenya – A devastating fire at Hillside Endarasha Academy, a private primary school in Nyeri County, central Kenya, claimed the lives of seventeen pupils late Thursday night, according to the Ministry of Education. The blaze, which broke out around midnight local time, engulfed a dormitory housing more than 150 children aged between five and twelve.
Fourteen additional pupils were hospitalized with injuries, and fears persist that the death toll may rise as the investigation continues. The cause of the fire remains undetermined.
President William Ruto described the incident as “horrific” and “devastating,” and has demanded a thorough investigation. “Those responsible will be held to account,” President Ruto stated on social media.
The fire spread rapidly, exacerbated by the timber construction of many of the school’s buildings. Police spokesperson Resila Onyango reported that the bodies recovered were “burnt beyond recognition,” with more casualties anticipated as recovery efforts proceed.
Firefighters, aided by local residents, successfully extinguished the blaze. According to local official Samson Mwangi Mwema, the rescue operation was fraught with challenges, including finding children trapped under beds.
The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has established a temporary trauma center at the school and is providing counseling to 59 children. The Ministry of Education noted that Hillside Endarasha Academy had a total of 824 pupils, including 316 boarders.
The incident has brought back memories of previous school fires in Kenya. In 2022, a dormitory fire in western Kenya led to arrests on suspicion of arson, and in 2017, a similar tragedy at Moi Girls High School in Nairobi resulted in ten student deaths. Kenya has experienced multiple school fires over the years, including a 2001 arson attack in Machakos County that claimed at least 67 lives.
Families of the missing children, like John Githogo, are enduring a harrowing wait for news. Githogo expressed his anguish, stating, “We don’t know if he’s among the dead or if he ran away.”
The county government and emergency services are working to manage the aftermath of this tragic event as the investigation into the cause of the fire continues.
Credit: BBC Africa News
