At least 16 pupils died following a fire outbreak at Hillside Endarasha Academy in Kieni West, Nyeri County, on Friday September 6 at night.
Preliminary reports indicated that the pupils were burnt beyond recognition after one of the dormitories housing the students was razed down.
National Police Service (NPS) Spokesperson Dr. Resila Onyango confirmed the incident to The Kenya Times on Friday, September 6 morning.
Fourteen other pupils were rushed to hospital with serious burns.
According to the report, 15 of them died at the scene while one died while being rushed to the hospital.
The NPS spokesperson has since confirmed that another pupil succumbed to the injuries while receiving treatment, pushing the death toll to 17.
There are fears that more bodies are likely to be recovered once the scene is fully processed.
By the time of publishing this article, the cause of the incident had not yet been established.
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According to the NPS spokesperson, Deputy Director DCI John Onyango, Senior Assistant IG and Director Homicide Unit and NPS Disaster Management Unit were dispatched to the school to help with investigations.
The scene has been preserved awaiting the homicide team.
The school is located in Endarasha, a small town in Nyeri County, Kieni West, which is about 35 km Northwest of Nyeri town.
Leaders have taken to their social media accounts to send condolence messages for the victims and the families affected.
President William Ruto in a statement on Friday instructed relevant authorities to thoroughly investigate the horrific incident adding that those responsible will be held to account.
Ruto, Gachagua and Raila Speak After Nyeri School Fire Leaves 17 Dead
The Head of State said that the Government under the Ministry of Interior and National Coordination is mobilizing all the necessary resources to support the affected families.
“Our thoughts are with the families of the children who have lost their lives in the fire tragedy at the Hillside Endarasha Academy in Nyeri County. This is devastating news. We pray for speedy recovery to the survivors,” said the President.
Deputy Rigathi Gachagua on his part stated, “I have learnt with deep sadness the tragic death of pupils of Hillside Endarasha Academy in a fire incident in Kieni Constituency, Nyeri County. We join the families, the school and the rest of the country in mourning these young, departed souls.
“We pray for a quick recovery of the survivors of this inferno. May God grant the families the fortitude to bear the loss. We ask schools to enforce safety and security measures as outlined by the Ministry of Education and other agencies to avert such incidences.”
Azimio la Umoja leader Raila Odinga also sent his condolences to the families of the deceased.
“My heartfelt condolences go out to the families, friends, and school fraternity who’ve lost loved ones in the devastating fire tragedy at Hillside Endarasha Academy. May God grant them all strength during these difficult moments, and a swift recovery for those injured,” said Odinga.
The tragic incident reported at the school is among recent incidents of infernos that have been reported within the country which have led to loss of lives and property.
Nairobi Fire Leaves Four Dead
Back on August 3, 2024, four people were confirmed dead and property of unknown value destroyed following a fire that broke out at Toi market in Kibera, Nairobi County.
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The four people are reported to have been burnt beyond recognition following the fire that razed down Toi market in the early hours of the day.
Preliminary reports indicated that some of the victims were attempting to save their belongings when they were overpowered by the flames.
Traders at the popular Toi market are also counting losses after the fire razed down their stalls in the incident which was reported to have started at around 4am.
Furthermore, witnesses confirmed that the fire broke out in one section of the market spreading through a number of stalls.
Following the appeal for help, a multi-agency team comprising of firefighters from the Nairobi City County were deployed to help contain the inferno that reduced property to ashes.
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