A devastating fire at Hillside Endarasha Primary School in Nyeri County, Kenya, has claimed the lives of at least 17 students, with the death toll expected to rise. The fire broke out around midnight on [Date], engulfing the rooms where children were sleeping. The victims, aged between 5 and 12, have been identified as primarily nine-year-olds.
The blaze, which left many students with severe burns, sparked a frantic rescue effort. The Kenya Red Cross and other emergency services quickly mobilized to the scene, providing immediate medical assistance and psychosocial support to the survivors, teachers, and affected families. The school has been cordoned off as authorities conduct a thorough investigation into the cause of the fire.
“There are 17 fatalities from this incident and there are also others who were taken to hospital with serious injuries,” stated national police spokesperson Resila Onyango, according to a report by AFP. Onyango further confirmed that many of the bodies recovered were “burnt beyond recognition.”
Kenyan President William Ruto expressed his deep sorrow and condolences to the families of the victims. “Our thoughts are with the families of the children who have lost their lives in the fire tragedy… This is devastating news,” Ruto said in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter. He vowed to hold those responsible for the incident accountable and instructed relevant authorities to conduct a comprehensive investigation.
This tragic incident has once again brought to light the recurring issue of school fires in Kenya and East Africa. In 2016, nine students perished in a fire at a girls’ high school in Nairobi’s Kibera neighborhood. A horrific arson attack on a dormitory at Kyanguli Mixed Secondary School in 2001 claimed the lives of 67 students, leading to the conviction of the headmaster and deputy for negligence. A similar tragedy unfolded in 1994 in Tanzania, where 40 school children were tragically killed in a fire at the Shauritanga Secondary School for Girls.
The Kenyan authorities are committed to preventing future tragedies and ensuring the safety of students in schools. This devastating event serves as a stark reminder of the importance of fire safety measures and the need for continuous vigilance to protect children in educational institutions. As the investigation unfolds, the nation mourns the loss of these young lives and offers its deepest condolences to the grieving families.
