SEVENTEEN young pupils tragically lost their lives after a dormitory at Hillside Endarasha Academy, a private boarding school in Nyeri County, Kenya, caught fire late Thursday night. The devastating blaze, which broke out around midnight, has also left 14 other children hospitalised with injuries. The death toll may rise as search and rescue efforts continue.
The fire occurred while more than 150 students, aged between 5 and 12, were sleeping in the dormitory. The cause of the fire is still under investigation, with authorities on-site working to determine what led to the tragic incident.
President William Ruto described the fire as ‘horrific’ and has ordered a full investigation into the disaster, vowing that those responsible will be held accountable.
‘Those responsible will be held to account,’ Ruto said in a social media post, expressing his devastation over the loss of young lives.
A team of forensic experts has been dispatched to the school to assess the damage and recover more bodies if necessary. Local police spokesperson Resila Onyango confirmed that several of the victims’ bodies were ‘burnt beyond recognition.’
The fire spread rapidly through the dormitory, which was largely constructed of timber, according to local reports. Firefighters, along with local residents, rushed to the scene to control the blaze and rescue children trapped inside.
READ ALSO:
Paralympics: Onyinyechi Mark Wins Nigeria’s First Gold Medal
We Didn’t Restrict Age For Writing WAEC, NECO Exams — Nigerian Govt
NNPC Yet To Lift Our Petrol — Dangote
‘You Got It Wrong,’ Depot Owner Replies Otedola’s Advise On Dangote Petrol
Native Doctor Shoots Client Dead While Testing Bulletproof Charm
1,2,3-0; How Liverpool Disgraced Man U At Old Trafford
Local official Samson Mwangi Mwema, who helped with the rescue operation, described the challenging efforts to save the children:
‘We found the dormitory had caught fire, we tried to rescue – we found some children under the bed and we were able to rescue them.’
The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) is providing trauma care and counselling for the surviving children. Many families, anxiously awaiting news, have expressed their anguish, not knowing if their children survived the blaze. John Githogo, the uncle of a missing schoolboy, spoke to the media, calling the wait for news ‘torture.’
School fires are unfortunately common in Kenyan boarding schools. In recent years, there has been a troubling rise in such incidents, often caused by arson. Hillside Endarasha Academy, which caters to over 800 pupils, is now at the centre of a national investigation aimed at uncovering the cause of this tragic fire.
With the investigation underway, authorities are determined to prevent further incidents of this nature and ensure the safety of students across the country.
