In a hurry? Here’s a quick summary…
- A fire at Endarasha Hillside Academy in Nyeri County killed 21 boys, with the cause still under investigation.
- Safety concerns and overcrowding at the school have been highlighted, and the government has declared three days of mourning.
The death toll from the devastating fire at Endarasha Hillside Academy in Nyeri County has risen to 21, according to a government statement on Saturday.
Prosecutors have instructed police to investigate whether negligence or recklessness contributed to the tragedy, vowing to bring anyone found responsible to justice.
The fire broke out around midnight on Thursday, engulfing a dormitory where more than 150 boys, aged between nine and 13, were sleeping.
Government spokesman Isaac Mwaura reported that 19 bodies were recovered from the scene, while two boys died later in the hospital.
Of the 156 boys in the dorm at the time, 139 have been accounted for, either at home or receiving medical treatment.
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Mwaura expressed the nation’s grief during a press briefing at the site, stating, “It is a catastrophe beyond our imagination. It is truly devastating for the nation to lose such a number of young and promising Kenyans. Our hearts are heavy.”
The cause of the fire remains unknown, but homicide investigators and forensic experts are conducting a thorough investigation.
Media access to the school has been restricted as authorities work to determine the exact circumstances of the incident.
The charred remains of victims, many burnt beyond recognition, were found in the now-collapsed dormitory.
Chief government pathologist Johansen Oduor announced that postmortems would begin on Tuesday.
Director of Public Prosecutions Renson Ingonga has called for a comprehensive investigation, urging police to examine whether negligence or recklessness played a role in the tragedy. His office stated that any person found responsible would face legal consequences.
The fire has also raised concerns about safety standards in Kenyan schools. The National Gender and Equality Commission reported initial findings that the dormitory was overcrowded, violating safety regulations.
President William Ruto has declared three days of national mourning, starting Monday, in response to what he called an “unfathomable tragedy.”
Pope Francis expressed his deep sadness over the loss of young lives, extending his spiritual support to the injured and grieving families.
As families waited anxiously for news of their children, one distraught mother cried out, “We don’t want the food donations. We want our children.” The Kenya Red Cross has set up psychological counseling for traumatized children and families, providing support at the school gates.
Some families, like that of 56-year-old Muchai Kihara, were fortunate to find their loved ones alive. Kihara rushed to the school at 1 am on Friday and found his 12-year-old son, Stephen Gachingi, injured but alive.
“I am happy he is alive, but he had injuries on the back of his head, and the smoke affected his eyes,” Kihara said, adding that he hopes counseling will help his son recover.
This fire is the latest in a string of disasters to hit schools in Kenya and East Africa. In 2016, nine students were killed in a fire at a girls’ high school in Kibera, Nairobi.
In 2001, 67 students perished in an arson attack at a secondary school in Machakos, and in 1994, 40 schoolchildren were burned alive in Tanzania.
In 2022, a blaze at a school for the blind in Uganda claimed 11 lives when students were trapped in a burglar-proofed building.
These recurring tragedies continue to raise concerns about the safety and oversight of educational institutions in the region.
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