A devastating fire at Utumishi Girls Academy has left at least 10 students dead after a dormitory was destroyed in an overnight blaze that broke out while learners were asleep. The tragic incident happened in the early hours of Thursday morning and has shocked many Kenyans as rescue teams continue searching through the damaged building.
According to reports from the scene, the fire started at around 1am inside one of the school dormitories.
Panic quickly spread across the compound as students rushed to escape from the flames. Some learners managed to get out safely while others became trapped as the fire spread rapidly through the building.
Emergency responders, including firefighters, police officers, and rescue personnel, arrived at the school shortly after the alarm was raised.
Efforts to contain the blaze and rescue students continued for several hours during the night. Authorities later confirmed that at least 10 students had lost their lives in the tragedy.
Several other students were injured during the incident and were taken to nearby hospitals for treatment. Some suffered burns while others were treated for injuries linked to smoke inhalation and the confusion that followed during the evacuation.
Rescue teams continued combing through the remains of the dormitory on Thursday morning as officials worked to account for every student who had been inside the building.
Parents and relatives gathered at the school in large numbers after news of the fire spread. Many were seen anxiously waiting for information about their children as school officials and emergency teams coordinated rescue operations and identification of victims.
The tragedy has once again raised concern about fire safety in boarding schools across Kenya.
Questions are already being asked about the condition of emergency exits, overcrowding in dormitories, and the level of preparedness in handling night-time emergencies in schools.
Similar incidents like the Endarasha have led to calls for stricter safety measures, but many families now fear that lessons from previous tragedies may not have been fully implemented.
Police have launched investigations into the cause of the fire, with forensic experts expected to examine the scene. Authorities say the investigation will help determine how the blaze started and whether there were any failures in safety procedures.