A tragic fire broke out at Utumishi Girls Academy in Gilgil, Kenya, in the early hours while students were sleeping, destroying a dorm block and leaving many injured.
The school is located 77 miles northwest of Nairobi. Authorities and the Kenya Red Cross launched a rescue and recovery operation, working to account for the roughly 220 students who were in the building at the time.
Fire and Rescue Efforts
Police commander Masoud Mwinyi said that the situation was “sad and distressing” as officers searched the area for students who had fled in fear during the fire. The blaze prompted a swift police investigation, with criminal investigators and forensic officers dispatched to the scene.
A parent told NTV News that many of the students treated in hospitals were injured while trying to escape, as one of the dorm doors was reportedly closed. Some students jumped from the upper floors in their attempt to flee.
National Response and Condolences
President William Ruto and First Lady Rachel Ruto expressed their condolences to the victims’ families, teachers, and school staff.
“Our hearts and prayers are with the families who have lost their beloved daughters in the tragic fire at Utumishi Girls Academy. No words can truly ease the pain of losing young lives filled with promise, hope, and dreams for the future,” Ruto wrote on X, emphasizing that the nation mourns alongside parents, guardians, teachers, and students.
Education Secretary Julius Ogamba ordered the immediate closure of the school but cautioned against speculation about the fire’s cause until the investigation is complete.
School Safety Concerns
The Education Ministry has been conducting audits of schools to ensure compliance with health and safety codes. In the last 18 months, nearly 350 boarding schools that failed to meet government standards have been closed.
Kenya’s boarding schools have a troubled history with fires, often caused by overcrowding, locked or blocked exits, and unsafe building conditions. Some fires have been deliberately set, with authorities attributing them to students reacting to harsh discipline or poor living conditions.
The Ministry of Education reported that in 2020 alone, there were 126 arson attacks on schools in the first 11 months, following a parliamentary request for school fire data in 2021. A similar tragedy occurred in September 2024 when 21 people died in a dorm fire at Hillside Endarasha Academy in Nyeri, 100 miles north of Nairobi.
