NAKURU, Kenya- Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen and Education Cabinet Secretary Migos Ogamba have appealed for calm and patience as authorities continue investigations into the deadly dormitory fire at Utumishi Girls Academy in Gilgil, Nakuru County, which has now claimed 16 lives.
The two Cabinet Secretaries visited the school on Thursday as families gathered to account for students following the early morning tragedy that has shaken the country.
Murkomen said the incident had deeply affected the National Police Service family because many students at the institution are children of police officers.
“Most of the children who school here are children of our officers serving in the National Police Service. As a ministry and family, we stand with everyone,” Murkomen said.
He cautioned against speculation over the cause of the inferno, saying investigators needed time to establish what happened.
“Be patient so as to avoid speculation of the cause of this tragedy,” he added.
Education CS Migos Ogamba said the government was still carrying out the process of identifying victims and accounting for all learners following the fire.
“Out of 808 girls, 79 were injured. Seventy-one have been treated and discharged while seven remain admitted,” Ogamba said.
“We have 16 fatalities whose identities will be identified. The process of accounting is taking place,” he added.
According to police reports, the fire broke out at around 4.30am in the Meline Waithera dormitory block, which housed more than 200 students, including Grade 10, Form Three and Form Four learners.
Emergency response teams from the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF), Kenya Red Cross, National Youth Service (NYS), Kenya Forest Service (KFS), and Naivasha fire brigade joined police officers in containing the blaze and evacuating students.
The injured learners were taken to Gilgil Sub-County Hospital and St. Mark’s Hospital for treatment.
Authorities said detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) and Crime Scene Investigation officers are processing the scene as investigations into the cause of the fire continue.
