The death toll from the tragic dormitory fire at Utumishi Girls Academy in Gilgil, Nakuru County, has risen to 16 students, police have confirmed.
In an update issued at around 9:10am on Thursday morning, authorities said that 74 other students remain hospitalised with varying degrees of injuries following the devastating overnight incident.
The fire reportedly broke out at around 1am in one of the school dormitories, although the Kenya Red Cross stated that the emergency was officially reported at approximately 3:30am.
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“Following a fire incident reported at around 3:30am at Utumishi Girls Academy in Nakuru County, Kenya Red Cross responded to support the ongoing emergency response,” the organisation said in a statement.
Emergency responders, including Kenya Red Cross teams, police officers, firefighters, and medics, rushed to the school to contain the blaze and assist affected students.
The Kenya Red Cross further confirmed that psychosocial support teams had been deployed to help traumatised students, parents, and teachers as rescue and assessment operations continued.
“Our first responders, E-Plus ambulance crew and our psychosocial support personnel are currently on the ground supporting affected students alongside other responders and relevant authorities,” added the organisation.
Police officers and detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) were immediately deployed to the institution to launch investigations into the cause of the deadly fire.
Authorities also began conducting a head count to establish the exact number of students who were in the dormitory at the time of the incident.
The tragedy triggered panic and emotional scenes outside the school as worried parents flocked to the institution seeking information about their children.
Rift Valley Regional Commander Masoud Munyi confirmed that only parents would be allowed access into the school compound as investigations and rescue efforts continued.
“We have deployed our officers and DCI detectives to the school, and a head count is currently underway to establish exactly how many students were present at the time of the fire. For now, only parents will be allowed access into the school,” said Munyi.
Despite being granted access, several parents expressed frustration and anxiety, saying they were yet to receive clear information regarding the safety and condition of their children.
The injured students were rushed to St. Joseph’s Hospital in Gilgil and other nearby medical facilities for treatment and assessment.
The incident is the latest in a growing series of school fire outbreaks reported across the country in recent years, raising fresh concerns over student safety and emergency preparedness in learning institutions.