A devastating fire at a primary school dormitory in Nyeri County, central Kenya, has resulted in the deaths of 21 individuals, according to government reports on Saturday. The blaze, which erupted around midnight on Thursday, engulfed a dormitory where over 150 boys aged between nine and thirteen were asleep.
Government spokesperson Isaac Mwaura confirmed that 19 bodies were recovered from the scene, while two additional victims succumbed to their injuries in hospital. Of the 156 boys who were in the dormitory, 139 have been accounted for, either being at home or receiving medical care, Mwaura added.
“This is a catastrophe beyond our imagination,” Mwaura expressed during a press briefing at the site of the tragedy.
The cause of the fire remains undetermined, but homicide investigators and forensic experts are on site, with media access restricted. The dormitory, now reduced to a blackened ruin with its corrugated iron roof collapsed, saw victims whose remains were burnt beyond recognition.
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Chief Government Pathologist Johansen Oduor announced that postmortems would begin on Tuesday. Meanwhile, Director of Public Prosecutions Renson Ingonga has ordered a thorough investigation to establish whether negligence or recklessness played a role in the fire. The authorities have vowed that those found responsible will face legal consequences.
“Any individual found culpable in relation to this fire tragedy will be subjected to the criminal justice process,” Ingonga’s office stated.
This incident has shed light on broader safety issues in Kenyan schools, a recurring problem highlighted by past tragedies. The Kenya National Gender and Equality Commission noted that the dormitory was “overcrowded, violating safety standards.”
In response to the tragedy, President William Ruto has declared three days of national mourning starting Monday, referring to the event as an “unfathomable tragedy.” Pope Francis has expressed his deep sorrow over the loss of young lives and extended his “spiritual closeness” to those affected, including the injured and grieving families.
Families have been anxiously awaiting news of their children, with some expressing frustration over the focus on food donations rather than their missing loved ones. The Kenya Red Cross is providing psychological support to traumatized children and families, setting up counseling services in tents near the school.
Muchai Kihara, whose 12-year-old son Stephen Gachingi survived the fire, described the traumatic experience. “I am relieved he is alive, but he has sustained injuries and his eyes were affected by smoke. I just want him to receive counseling to help him return to normal life,” Kihara said.
Kenya has faced several similar disasters in recent years. Notable past incidents include a 2016 fire at a girls’ high school in Kibera that killed nine students, a 2001 arson attack in Machakos that claimed 67 lives, and a 1994 fire in Tanzania’s Kilimanjaro region that killed 40 students. In 2022, a fire at a school for the blind in Uganda resulted in the deaths of eleven pupils trapped in a burglar-proofed building.
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