ENDARASHA: At least 17 young pupils were killed and 70 missing after a school in central Kenya caught fire last night. The fire broke out around midnight at Hillside Endarasha Academy in Nyeri County, destroying rooms where over 150 boys were asleep.
Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, who spoke to the media at the scene, stated that while 17 deaths have been confirmed, the number of fatalities could not be fully verified yet.
“We still have 70 kids that are unaccounted — that does not mean they are perished or they are injured… the word is that they are unaccounted for,” Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua told reporters at the scene. At present, 27 children are hospitalized.
Police spokesperson Resila Onyango reported that the bodies recovered from the scene were burned beyond recognition. The dormitory, which housed boys in grades four through eight, contained students aged between nine and 13.
Families gathered at the school were in a state of desperation and distress, with many breaking down in tears as they were shown the charred remains of the dormitory. One woman, pleading for news of her child, said, “Please look for my kid. He can’t be dead. I want my child.”
The cause of the fire remains undetermined, but initial reports suggest the dormitory was overcrowded, violating safety regulations. The National Gender and Equality Commission has called for an immediate investigation.
Timothy Kinuthia, searching for his 13-year-old son, described the situation as “panic mode,” lamenting that he had not received any information since early morning.
The scene was marked by the blackened remains of the dormitory, with its corrugated iron roof completely collapsed. The building has been sealed off by police, and officers are stationed at all entry points. Survivors, wrapped in blankets, were seen being taken away in school buses.
Alice Wanjiku, who traveled from Nairobi to search for her orphaned nephew, expressed her determination to stay at the site until she finds him, saying, “He is the joy of our family, and I hope to find him.”
Interior Minister Kithure Kindiki reported that some of the children had sought refuge in nearby homes and were being cared for by local residents. President William Ruto, currently in Beijing for a China-Africa summit, has extended his condolences and called for a thorough investigation, promising that those responsible will be held accountable.
The Kenyan Red Cross is on-site, assisting with the multi-agency response and providing psychological support. This tragic event follows a pattern of school fires in Kenya and East Africa, including incidents in 2016, 2001, 1994, and 2022, which have resulted in numerous casualties and highlighted ongoing safety concerns.
