NAIROBI, Kenya- Utumishi Girls Academy has been closed indefinitely as investigations intensify into the dormitory fire that killed 16 students and injured dozens more in Gilgil, Nakuru County.
Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba said the closure would allow investigators to thoroughly process the scene and establish the cause of the deadly blaze.
Ogamba warned that anyone found responsible for the tragedy would face prosecution.
“Those responsible for the fire will be charged,” the CS said during a visit to the school on Thursday.
According to the Ministry of Education, the fire broke out in the early hours of Thursday in one of the school dormitories housing students at the police-sponsored institution.
The school has more than 800 learners, many of whom are children of police officers.
The government confirmed that 79 students were injured during the incident, with most treated and discharged, while several remained admitted in the hospital.
Police and emergency responders said the inferno started at around 3.30 am to 4.30 am, triggering panic as students fled the dormitory.
Rescue teams from the Kenya Red Cross, Kenya Defence Forces (KDF), National Youth Service (NYS), Kenya Forest Service (KFS), and local fire brigades responded to the scene.
Authorities are still investigating the cause of the fire, with Education CS Ogamba saying officials would also establish whether the school adhered to fire safety regulations.
The tragedy has once again brought national attention to the recurring problem of fires in Kenyan boarding schools.
In 2024, 21 students died in a dormitory fire at Hillside Endarasha Academy in Nyeri County, while dozens of school fire incidents have been reported across the country over the years.
