17 Students Killed, 14 Injured In Kenya Boarding School Fire

NYERI, Kenya

The Kenya Ministry of Education now says that the dormitory engulfed by flames at Hillside Endarasha Academy in Nyeri County on Thursday night, which resulted in the deaths of 17 learners and injuries to others, was housing 156 pupils prior to the incident.

Reports indicate that the fire broke out at around 11 pm, with firefighters from Kiawara initially responding to the inferno.

However, they sought assistance from the Nyeri Fire Brigade after realizing that the fire was too large to handle alone.

The Nyeri firefighters arrived at the scene around 3 a.m., but by that time, the damage had already been significant.

In a statement Friday, Education Principal Secretary (PS) Dr Belio Kipsang highlighted that all occupants of the ill-fated dormitory were boys.

"The fire incident left 14 other learners injured and are being attended to in various hospitals. The school has a total enrolment of 824. Of these, 402 are boys while 422 are girls. Of the total enrolment of 824 learners, 156 boys and 160 girls are boarders while the rest are day scholars. All the 156 boys boarders were accommodated in the ill-fated dormitory," said Kipsang.

"The Ministry of Education is currently working with the Ministry of Interior and National Administration, and Ministry of Health to manage the situation, and ensure the injured learners are given the best medical attention."

Kipsang added that the Ministry of Health has likewise commenced investigations to determine the cause of the inferno.

"In line with His Excellency President William Ruto’s directive, the Ministry of Education is coordinating with security agencies to investigate the root cause of the fire incident at the school.  Education CS Julius Migos Ogamba, who has been on an official trip in China is on his way back to join our local teams to ensure the situation is addressed with utmost urgency," said the Education PS.

"In the meantime, I am currently on the ground leading the local multi-agency team to manage the situation. The Ministry of Education sends its sincere and heartfelt condolences to the parents, families and friends of the learners who lost their lives in this regrettable tragedy."