An in a single day fireplace at a women’ secondary college in Kenya’s Rift Valley city gutted the dormitory and killed at the least 16 college students, the federal government stated Thursday.
The fireplace broke out simply after midnight at Utumisi Women’ Academy Excessive College in Gilgil in central Kenya and continued to burn for greater than two hours, Schooling Minister Julius Migos informed reporters.
He stated 79 different college students have been injured, however 71 of them have been launched from hospital. College students at this college are between the ages of 15 and 18.
“The investigation is ongoing, however the reason for the hearth has not but been decided,” Migos stated.
First responders stated a pupil set the mattress on fireplace.
Inside Minister Kipchumba Murkomen informed reporters on the college that he urged individuals to not speculate about the reason for the hearth.
Nevertheless, one first responder, who requested anonymity as a result of he was not approved to talk to the media, stated a number of survivors informed first responders {that a} pupil had set the mattress on fireplace with a match.
They did not know what the scholars’ motives have been.
Fires are occurring often in Kenya’s colleges, with greater than 100 to be recorded in 2024, based on the federal government. Researchers have discovered that many arsons are set by college students protesting harsh self-discipline and poor circumstances.
The scholars have been trapped on the second flooring.
The second-floor door the place the hearth began was initially locked, and a few college students jumped to their deaths from home windows, first responders stated. The fireplace broke home windows and smeared the partitions of the varsity with smoke.
A whole bunch of households gathered outdoors the varsity Thursday, looking for information of their family members. Injured college students have been additionally seen, some limping with bandaged legs and arms, and others being carried away by police.
Wambui Nderitu, a neighborhood resident, stated she rushed to the varsity round 4am to search for her aunt’s daughter.
“Happily, I discovered her little one and she or he had solely minor accidents. She stated she was in a decrease dormitory, so she managed to get out,” Nderitu informed native broadcaster Aslab TV. “Lots of the individuals who have been on the second flooring jumped from the balcony.”
One other native resident, Leah Wanjiru, informed Athrab TV: “We heard the youngsters screaming, so we went outdoors to test and noticed that the varsity was on fireplace. We began fetching water and tried to assist extinguish the hearth and rescue individuals.”
In 2024, a fireplace at a major boarding college in close by Nyeri district killed 21 college students. Its trigger has by no means been definitively established.
In 2001, 67 boys died within the deadliest college fireplace in current reminiscence at Kyanguri Secondary College on the outskirts of Nairobi, which authorities attributed to arson.
