At least 16 students have been killed and dozens injured after a fire broke out at a boarding school in Gilgil, central Kenya, authorities said on Thursday.
The fire erupted at the Utumishi Girls School, located about 120 kilometres west of Nairobi, in the early hours of the morning while students were asleep.
Police commander Masoud Mwinyi told journalists at the scene that 74 other students were receiving treatment in hospital for injuries sustained during the incident.
According to police and the Kenya Red Cross, the blaze began around 1:00 a.m. local time and quickly engulfed a dormitory housing approximately 220 students.
Emergency rescue operations were still ongoing as authorities worked to account for all students. Officials said some pupils fled into nearby areas during the chaos and were yet to return.
“As we speak, our officers are combing the area because some students fled in shock and fear during the night,” Mwinyi said.
The cause of the fire has not yet been established, and investigations are under way. The school has since been cordoned off, with access restricted mainly to parents and emergency officials.
Witnesses described scenes of panic as students tried to escape the burning building. Some reportedly suffered injuries after jumping from upper floors of the dormitory.
A relative of one of the students, Wambui Nderitu, said her niece survived the fire but sustained a broken leg while escaping.
“When we arrived at the school we were told to queue. Most of us were worried because we had heard some students had died and others were injured,” she said.
School fires have become a recurring concern in Kenya, where overcrowded dormitories and poor enforcement of safety regulations have often been blamed for deadly incidents in boarding schools.
