A serious fire broke out early Tuesday (May 28) at the Utumishi Girls School dormitory in the town of Gilgil, Nakuru County, about 120 kilometers northwest of the capital, Nairobi.
Kenya's Education Minister Julius Ogamba said at least 16 students were killed and 79 others injured. Rescue teams are urgently providing support and conducting evacuations.
Local media images showed shattered windows and walls blackened by smoke. Police Commander Masoud Mwinyi said around 50 officers were combing the area around the school for students who may have fled when the fire erupted. "In shock and fear, many ran out, and it was at night," he said.
The cause of the fire has not yet been determined. However, Kenya has a history of school fires. According to government data, more than 60 arson incidents were recorded at public secondary schools in 2018 alone. Many were started by students protesting harsh discipline or poor living conditions.
Earlier, in 2024, a fire at a primary boarding school in neighboring Nyeri County killed 21 students. The cause of that fire has not been officially concluded. In 2017, 10 students died in a school fire in Nairobi, and a student was later charged with murder.
