At least 10 students are feared dead following a devastating dormitory fire at Utumishi Girls Academy in Gilgil, Nakuru County, in yet another tragedy that has reignited concerns over school safety and a growing wave of unrest in Kenyan learning institutions.
The fire is reported to have broken out at around 1am on Thursday morning, with the Kenya Red Cross saying the incident was formally reported at approximately 3.30am.
Authorities were still conducting a headcount early Thursday as rescue and emergency operations continued, making it difficult to immediately establish the exact number of casualties and injuries.
Fears remained high among parents and local residents that the death toll could rise as more information emerges.
Emotional scenes were witnessed outside the school as worried parents flocked to the institution seeking information about their children.
School management announced that only parents would be allowed into the compound as authorities continued accounting for all learners.
A ‘cursed’ second term??
The tragedy comes at a time when Kenya is experiencing a fresh wave of school fires, unrest, and destruction of property during the second term of the academic calendar — a period historically associated with student riots and acts of arson in boarding schools.
Although the Ministry of Education has not released official national statistics on school fire incidents in 2026, local media reports indicate that at least 14 schools have already been heavily affected by fires and unrest during the second term alone.
In Kaumoni Boys’ High School, more than 1,100 students were recently sent home indefinitely after learners reportedly went on a rampage.
Similarly, ACK St. Luke’s Nguumo Boys High School was closed indefinitely after unrest on May 25 led to the burning of two dormitories and extensive destruction of property.
Meanwhile, Maranda High School has also been pushed to the brink of closure following renewed student unrest and a suspected arson attack.
According to Principal Dr Edwin Namachanja, the administration made the difficult decision to send Form Four students home after fresh acts of defiance erupted less than 24 hours after a devastating Sunday evening fire incident.
The move, he said, was reached in consultation with the Director of Education’s office in a bid to safeguard lives and protect school property.
History of school fires in Kenya
Kenya has a painful history of deadly school fires, many of which have been linked to arson, overcrowding, poor infrastructure, or weak enforcement of safety standards.
The country’s deadliest school fire remains the 2001 inferno at Kyanguli Secondary School, where 67 students lost their lives after a dormitory was set ablaze.
More recently, in September 2024, a midnight fire tore through a wooden boys’ dormitory in Nyeri County, killing 21 children under the age of 14. The tragedy sparked outrage after it emerged that the structure housed 156 boys, raising serious concerns about overcrowding and fire preparedness.
In another widely remembered case, a dormitory fire at Moi Girls High School in September 2017 killed 10 students in what investigators later confirmed was an arson attack carried out by a 14-year-old student. The student was later sentenced to five years in prison in 2022.
Earlier, in 2012, a dormitory fire at Asumbi Girls Boarding Primary School claimed the lives of eight pupils after the children became trapped inside due to window grills and the lack of functional emergency exits.
The latest tragedy at Utumishi Girls Academy is likely to renew calls for stricter enforcement of school safety regulations, improved emergency preparedness, regular fire drills, and enhanced psychosocial support for students amid increasing cases of unrest in schools.
This remains a developing story, and more updates are expected as rescue teams and authorities continue investigations into the cause of the fire.
Kenya Police Emergency Hotline Numbers:
- 999
- 112
- 911
Members of the public, school administrators, teachers, parents, and students are also advised to immediately contact the nearest county fire department or emergency response teams whenever fire risks, faulty electrical systems, smoke, or suspicious incidents are detected within schools or boarding facilities.
Early reporting and rapid response can help save lives and prevent large-scale tragedies.
