Disaster in Kenya: Horrific fire in girls' dormitory kills 16 and injures dozens

Written by Ziad Abdel Fattah:

At least 16 female students were killed Their deathsDozens were injured in a horrific fire that broke out in a dormitory at a girls' secondary school in the town of Rift Valley, located in west-central Kenya, in the early hours of Thursday morning, according to Kenyan authorities.

Kenyan Education Minister Julius Migus reported that the fire broke out shortly after midnight inside a dormitory belonging to the Otomishi Girls' Secondary School and lasted for more than two hours, resulting in this large number of victims.

79 female students injured in the fire

The minister explained that 79 female students were injured as a result of the fire, 71 of whom left the hospital after receiving treatment, while the ages of the students range between 15 and 18 years, noting that investigations are still underway to determine the causes of the accident.

While the Ministry of Interior called for not rushing to conclusions before the investigation is complete, sources from the rescue teams quoted survivors as saying that the fire may have been caused by a student lighting a mattress with a match, without knowing the motives behind it.

One of the first responders revealed that the doors of the upper floor, where the fire broke out, were locked at the beginning of the incident, which led to a number of students being trapped, while some of them died while trying to escape by jumping out of the windows.

Hundreds of parents gathered

Hundreds of parents and family members gathered around the school, anxiously awaiting news of their loved ones, while the effects of the fire were clearly visible on the building, with shattered windows and charred walls.

Eyewitnesses confirmed that they rushed to the scene of the fire as soon as they heard the students' screams, and tried to help extinguish the flames using water, until the fire crews arrived.

A series of recurring fires in Kenyan schools

This incident is part of a series of recurring fires in Kenyan schools, with the government recording more than 100 fire incidents during 2024. Studies indicate that some of these are linked to student protests over living conditions and the school system.

The 2001 fire was the worst in the country's history.

It is worth noting that a similar incident occurred last year at a boarding primary school in Nyeri County, resulting in the death of 21 students, while the Kyangoli school fire in 2001, which claimed the lives of 67 students, is considered the worst in the country’s modern history.