Kenya school fire: 16 students killed, scores injured
School fires are common in Kenyan boarding schools, with some caused by arson and others by electrical faults
A fire at a school for girls in central Kenya early Thursday caused at least 16 deaths and injuries, and police said search teams were working to account for everyone.
Police said they were leading rescue and emergency response efforts at the Utumishi Girls School in the Gilgil area, about 120 kilometres from the capital, Nairobi.
The fire broke started in the dormitories of the boarding school. The cause has not yet been established.
School fires are common in Kenyan boarding schools, with some caused by arson and others by electrical faults.
Kenya's deadliest school fire in recent history occurred in 2001 when 67 students died in a dormitory fire in Machakos County.
In 2024, 21 students burned to death in a school fire in central Kenya. President William Ruto declared three days of mourning.
In 2017, 10 students died in a school fire in Nairobi. A student was charged with murder.
