On September 5, 2024, a fire engulfed a dormitory at Hillside Endarasha Primary School in Nyeri County located approximately 200 kilometers north of Nairobi, Kenya. The dormitory housed over 150 boys aged between 10 and 14, as confirmed by Nyeri County Commissioner Pius Murugu.
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Seventeen students lost their lives in the fire with bodies being burned beyond recognition. An additional 13 students sustained severe burns and authorities have expressed concern that the death toll could rise as some of the injured remain in critical condition.
The victims were boys between grades 4 and 8, roughly between 9 and 13 years old, who were sleeping in the dormitory when the fire broke out.
The cause of the fire remains unknown with investigators working to determine the exact source of the blaze. Police spokesperson Resila Onyango mentioned that a thorough investigation is underway.
Arson is a possibility that hasn’t been ruled out considering that school fires including some caused by student protests, have occurred in Kenya before.
President William Ruto has called for a detailed investigation and said that those responsible will be held to account.
Nyeri County Governor Mutahi Kahiga said that the rains in the area had created muddy roads, slowing down emergency responders.
The dormitory’s wooden structure also contributed to the speed at which the fire spread, leaving rescuers with limited time to evacuate the boys.
The Kenya Red Cross with a multi-agency response team has been actively providing psychosocial support to the students, teachers and families affected by the incident.
A tracing desk has been set up by the Red Cross to help anxious parents locate their children among the survivors and receive updates on those in the hospital.
Kenyan President William Ruto expressed his sorrow at the loss of lives. In his statement on the social media platform X, Ruto described the news as devastating and assured the nation that thorough investigations would be conducted.
Rigathi Gachagua, Kenya’s deputy president urged school administrators across the country to adhere strictly to safety guidelines provided by the Ministry of Education.
Residents and neighbors were among the first to arrive at the scene rushing to the school to assist in controlling the fire and rescuing students.
Rescue efforts were hindered by muddy roads caused by early morning rains, which delayed the arrival of firefighters at the scene.
According to a local journalist, the dormitory structure, which was built primarily of timber allowed the fire to spread rapidly.
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The Kenya Red Cross is providing psychological services to the affected pupils, teachers and families. They have also set up a tracing desk at the school to help link survivors with their parents.
In 2001, one of the deadliest school fires in Kenya occurred at Kyanguli Secondary School, where 58 pupils perished. In 2017, an arson attack at Moi Girls High School in Nairobi claimed the lives of 10 students.
In 2016, a fire at a girls’ high school in Nairobi’s Kibera slum led to the deaths of nine students. In 2022, another dormitory in western Kenya burned down, although no lives were lost, several students were arrested on suspicion of arson.
The Ministry of Education has pointed out several causes behind these fires including, many school fires in Kenya have been linked to arson with several students arrested in the aftermath of such incidents.
Strained relations between students and teachers have been identified as one of the factors that may trigger such incidents.
Many Kenyan boarding schools struggle with overcrowded facilities, which exacerbates safety risks. Students have sometimes expressed dissatisfaction with the conditions at their schools including inadequate facilities and harsh living conditions.
Over the years, the Kenyan government has taken steps to address the issue of school fires. Schools have been required to implement security measures such as installing surveillance cameras and employing trained security personnel.
The government has also encouraged schools to offer better counseling services to help students cope with academic stress.
Safety audits have been mandated for all boarding schools to identify potential hazards and ensure that schools adhere to fire safety regulations.
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