Kenyan authorities arrested eight female students on Friday (May 29) on suspicion of deliberately setting fire to a dormitory at Utumishi Girls School in central Kenya, a blaze that killed 16 children and injured 79 others. The motive remains under investigation. The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) said the girls are suspected of planning and carrying out the arson attack, which occurred Thursday morning (May 28). Forensic teams have been reviewing CCTV footage while investigators have conducted extensive interviews with students, staff, and other witnesses.&nbsp;The police questioned 30 students and asked parents to return home and come back the following morning. However, many parents were still left without answers. "We have not even been told about the eight that police have arrested," one parent told the news agency Associated Press, speaking anonymously out of fear her daughter could face retaliation. "We are just here and no one is giving us any information."&nbsp;Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/video-massive-fire-breaks-out-at-jewish-supermarket-in-london-s-golders-green-100-firefighters-deployed-1779869309492/amp">VIDEO | Massive fire breaks out at Jewish supermarket in London’s Golders Green; 100 firefighters deployed</a>&nbsp;The bodies of the 16 victims were transferred to a government hospital morgue and are undergoing DNA testing for identification. Investigators say they are continuing to gather evidence to "reconstruct the sequence of events, establish the full circumstances of the incident, and determine the motive," according to DCI spokesperson John Marete. School fires have been an ongoing concern across East Africa, where overcrowded classrooms and dormitories, combined with a lack of firefighting equipment, create dangerous conditions. Such fires are sometimes linked to electrical faults, while others have been attributed to students deliberately burning school buildings in response to disciplinary grievances.&nbsp;Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/short-videos/delhi-fire-nine-killed-after-suspected-ac-blast-triggers-delhi-building-fire-1777797871023">Delhi Fire: Nine Killed After Suspected AC Blast Triggers Delhi Building Fire</a>&nbsp;Authorities have not yet disclosed what may have motivated the suspected attack, and the investigation is ongoing. Officials are urging patience as forensic and detective work continues at the site.

Eight female students have been arrested in Kenya on suspicion of arson after a devastating dormitory fire at Utumishi Girls School killed 16 children and injured 79 others.

Kenyan authorities arrested eight female students on Friday (May 29) on suspicion of deliberately setting fire to a dormitory at Utumishi Girls School in central Kenya, a blaze that killed 16 children and injured 79 others. The motive remains under investigation. The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) said the girls are suspected of planning and carrying out the arson attack, which occurred Thursday morning (May 28). Forensic teams have been reviewing CCTV footage while investigators have conducted extensive interviews with students, staff, and other witnesses. The police questioned 30 students and asked parents to return home and come back the following morning. However, many parents were still left without answers. "We have not even been told about the eight that police have arrested," one parent told the news agency Associated Press, speaking anonymously out of fear her daughter could face retaliation. "We are just here and no one is giving us any information." Also read: VIDEO | Massive fire breaks out at Jewish supermarket in London’s Golders Green; 100 firefighters deployed The bodies of the 16 victims were transferred to a government hospital morgue and are undergoing DNA testing for identification. Investigators say they are continuing to gather evidence to "reconstruct the sequence of events, establish the full circumstances of the incident, and determine the motive," according to DCI spokesperson John Marete. School fires have been an ongoing concern across East Africa, where overcrowded classrooms and dormitories, combined with a lack of firefighting equipment, create dangerous conditions. Such fires are sometimes linked to electrical faults, while others have been attributed to students deliberately burning school buildings in response to disciplinary grievances. Also read: Delhi Fire: Nine Killed After Suspected AC Blast Triggers Delhi Building Fire Authorities have not yet disclosed what may have motivated the suspected attack, and the investigation is ongoing. Officials are urging patience as forensic and detective work continues at the site.

Eight female students have been arrested in Kenya on suspicion of arson after a devastating dormitory fire at Utumishi Girls School killed 16 children and injured 79 others.

8 students arrested after Kenya school dorm fire kills 16, injures dozens

A massive fire brokeout in a girl's school dormitory in Kenya on Thursday (May 28) in which as many as 16 people were killed. AFP reported that those killed included mostly children, and 73 have been hospitalised. The fire broke out overnight in Utumishi Girls Academy, a boarding school in Nakuru County, the Red Cross told AFP, without giving casualty numbers. The Kenyan Red Cross said the&nbsp;blaze broke out around 1 am at the Utumishi Girls' Academy Senior ‌School in the Gilgil area, but was only reported only more than two hours later. "First responders, ambulance crew and our support personnel are currently on the ground," a spokesperson for the Red Cross told AFP. The cause of the fire was not immediately known. DW reported that authorities have confirmed that the fire has been contained.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/kenya-erupts-in-chaos-as-deadly-fuel-protests-spread-nationwide-1779201952843">Kenya Erupts In Chaos As Deadly Fuel Protests Spread Nationwide</a>&nbsp;County police official Masoud Mwinyi spoke to ​distraught parents outside the school and said, “It is a distressing and saddening situation.” Mwinyi told ⁠reporters that around 50 officers were searching the areas around the school for students who may have fled when the blaze broke out.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/kenyan-government-and-transport-firms-reach-a-deal-to-halt-strike-after-deadly-protests-1779210073769">Kenyan Government and Transport Firms Reach a Deal to Halt Strike After Deadly Protests</a><h2>History of school fires</h2>School fires have remained a recurring and deadly problem in Kenya for decades, with authorities often linking the incidents to arson, poor infrastructure, overcrowded dormitories, electrical faults and student unrest over harsh discipline and living conditions. The country’s deadliest school fire occurred in 2001 at Kyanguli Secondary School in Machakos County, where 67 students were killed after two students allegedly set a dormitory ablaze in protest against school policies. In 2017, a fire at Moi Girls High School in Nairobi killed 10 students, with investigations later concluding that a student had deliberately started the blaze. Kenya also witnessed more than 60 cases of school arson in 2018, highlighting the scale of the crisis in boarding schools. In 2024, another devastating dormitory fire at Hillside Endarasha Academy in Nyeri County claimed the lives of 21 children, prompting national mourning and renewed criticism over weak fire safety standards. Experts and rights groups say many Kenyan boarding schools continue to struggle with inadequate emergency exits, poor enforcement of safety measures, extreme academic pressure and limited mental health support for students, creating conditions that have repeatedly contributed to tragic fire disaster

A fire at Utumishi Girls Academy in Kenya’s Nakuru County killed at least 16 students and injured 73 others after flames engulfed a dormitory overnight. Authorities said the blaze has been contained, while rescue teams continue searching for missing students.

A massive fire brokeout in a girl's school dormitory in Kenya on Thursday (May 28) in which as many as 16 people were killed. AFP reported that those killed included mostly children, and 73 have been hospitalised. The fire broke out overnight in Utumishi Girls Academy, a boarding school in Nakuru County, the Red Cross told AFP, without giving casualty numbers. The Kenyan Red Cross said the blaze broke out around 1 am at the Utumishi Girls' Academy Senior ‌School in the Gilgil area, but was only reported only more than two hours later. "First responders, ambulance crew and our support personnel are currently on the ground," a spokesperson for the Red Cross told AFP. The cause of the fire was not immediately known. DW reported that authorities have confirmed that the fire has been contained. Also Read: Kenya Erupts In Chaos As Deadly Fuel Protests Spread Nationwide County police official Masoud Mwinyi spoke to distraught parents outside the school and said, “It is a distressing and saddening situation.” Mwinyi told ⁠reporters that around 50 officers were searching the areas around the school for students who may have fled when the blaze broke out. Also Read: Kenyan Government and Transport Firms Reach a Deal to Halt Strike After Deadly Protests History of school fires School fires have remained a recurring and deadly problem in Kenya for decades, with authorities often linking the incidents to arson, poor infrastructure, overcrowded dormitories, electrical faults and student unrest over harsh discipline and living conditions. The country’s deadliest school fire occurred in 2001 at Kyanguli Secondary School in Machakos County, where 67 students were killed after two students allegedly set a dormitory ablaze in protest against school policies. In 2017, a fire at Moi Girls High School in Nairobi killed 10 students, with investigations later concluding that a student had deliberately started the blaze. Kenya also witnessed more than 60 cases of school arson in 2018, highlighting the scale of the crisis in boarding schools. In 2024, another devastating dormitory fire at Hillside Endarasha Academy in Nyeri County claimed the lives of 21 children, prompting national mourning and renewed criticism over weak fire safety standards. Experts and rights groups say many Kenyan boarding schools continue to struggle with inadequate emergency exits, poor enforcement of safety measures, extreme academic pressure and limited mental health support for students, creating conditions that have repeatedly contributed to tragic fire disaster

A fire at Utumishi Girls Academy in Kenya’s Nakuru County killed at least 16 students and injured 73 others after flames engulfed a dormitory overnight. Authorities said the blaze has been contained, while rescue teams continue searching for missing students.

16 students dead in dormitory fire at Kenya girls school

Authorities in Kenya were due to begin DNA testing on Monday (Sept 9) to help identify the boys who lost their lives in a deadly school dormitory blaze last week, a report by the news agency AFP said.

Authorities in Kenya were due to begin DNA testing on Monday (Sept 9) to help identify the boys who lost their lives in a deadly school dormitory blaze last week, a report by the news agency AFP said. A total of 21 boys died after flames engulfed their dormitory at the Hillside Endarasha Academy in Nyeri County as they were sleeping late on Thursday night (Sep 5). Nineteen bodies were found in the charred ruins of the building, while another two died in hospital, but 17 were still unaccounted for, government spokesman Isaac Mwaura said during the weekend. Forensic exercise of identification to start soon During the weekend, government spokesperson Isaac Mwaura said that 19 bodies were found in the charred ruins of the building, while another two died in hospital, but 17 were still unaccounted for. Also read | Kenya now has robot waiters serving food to customers. Are they threatening human labour? Citing the police, the AFP report said that the bodies of the victims were burnt beyond recognition and families have been facing an agonising wait to find out the fate of their loved ones. The forensic exercise of identifying the bodies will start on Monday because that's the only way they can be identified," Nyeri County Commissioner Pius Murigu told the news agency. "We are urging the affected families to turn up tomorrow at the Naromoru hospital to be part of the next process of forensic identification of the remains from this tragedy," he said, referring to a medical facility about an hour's drive from the school. Postmortems to begin tomorrow Chief government pathologist Johansen Oduor has said postmortems would begin on Tuesday. The government, meanwhile, declared three days of mourning to honour the victims of the tragedy. Flags are due to fly at half mast on all Kenyan public buildings, military bases and embassies from dawn on Monday to sunset on Wednesday. Fire breaks out in other schools On Sunday, a fire broke out at two other schools in Kenya. A dorm at Njia Boys High School in the central county of Meru caught fire as students were having supper and no casualties were reported, a police statement said. The building housing about 150 students "completely burnt down, the inferno consuming everything, and property of unknown value was destroyed", it said. And on Saturday, another fire erupted at a girls' high school in Isiolo County. A local official said there were several injuries, but police said no one was hurt. (With inputs from agencies)

Kenya school fire: Authorities to start DNA testing to identify victims; govt declares 3 days of mourning

A fire broke out in a school dormitory in Kenya, killing 17 boys&nbsp;and leaving 13 others with serious burns, according to police reports on Friday (Sep 6). Authorities fear the death toll could increase, as more than a dozen injured students have been rushed to the hospital with severe burns.

The country's&nbsp;Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua said at least 70 students were missing after the unfortunate tragedy.

"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," Gachagua was quoted as saying by news agency AFP.

The 17 boys killed were said to be sleeping when the fire&nbsp;tore through the dormitory in&nbsp;the early hours of Friday, said the police.&nbsp;

Isaac Mwaura, a government spokesperson, said that the boys&nbsp;were in grades 4 to 8 and around&nbsp;nine&nbsp;to 13 years old.&nbsp;

The incident occurred at Hillside Endarasha Primary School in Nyeri County, and the cause of the fire is still under investigation.

Kenyan President William Ruto called the fire "horrific" and "devastating." He has ordered a thorough investigation into the incident, and in a social media post said, "Those responsible will be held to account".

A team of investigators has been sent to the school, according to the police. Police spokesperson Resila Onyango told news agency AFP&nbsp;that the recovered bodies were "burnt beyond recognition." She also said that more bodies may be discovered as the investigation continues.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/gaza-war-hamas-urges-us-to-exert-real-pressure-on-israel-to-reach-truce-deal-756305">Hamas urges US to 'exert real pressure' on Israel to reach Gaza truce deal</a>

The Kenya Red Cross is offering psychosocial support to the affected students, teachers, and families. They have also established a tracing service at the school.

Fires in boarding schools are not uncommon in Kenya. In 2017, a fire at Moi Girls High School in Nairobi claimed the lives of 10 students in an arson attack.

Over 20 years ago, 67 students died in Machakos County in the deadliest school fire in Kenya's history.

(With inputs from agencies)

A fire broke out in a school dormitory in Kenya, killing 17 boys and leaving 13 others with serious burns, according to police reports on Friday (Sep 6). Authorities fear the death toll could increase, as more than a dozen injured students have been rushed to the hospital with severe burns.

A fire broke out in a school dormitory in Kenya, killing 17 boys and leaving 13 others with serious burns, according to police reports on Friday (Sep 6). Authorities fear the death toll could increase, as more than a dozen injured students have been rushed to the hospital with severe burns. The country's Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua said at least 70 students were missing after the unfortunate tragedy. "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," Gachagua was quoted as saying by news agency AFP. The 17 boys killed were said to be sleeping when the fire tore through the dormitory in the early hours of Friday, said the police. Isaac Mwaura, a government spokesperson, said that the boys were in grades 4 to 8 and around nine to 13 years old. The incident occurred at Hillside Endarasha Primary School in Nyeri County, and the cause of the fire is still under investigation. Kenyan President William Ruto called the fire "horrific" and "devastating." He has ordered a thorough investigation into the incident, and in a social media post said, "Those responsible will be held to account". A team of investigators has been sent to the school, according to the police. Police spokesperson Resila Onyango told news agency AFP that the recovered bodies were "burnt beyond recognition." She also said that more bodies may be discovered as the investigation continues. Also read: Hamas urges US to 'exert real pressure' on Israel to reach Gaza truce deal The Kenya Red Cross is offering psychosocial support to the affected students, teachers, and families. They have also established a tracing service at the school. Fires in boarding schools are not uncommon in Kenya. In 2017, a fire at Moi Girls High School in Nairobi claimed the lives of 10 students in an arson attack. Over 20 years ago, 67 students died in Machakos County in the deadliest school fire in Kenya's history. (With inputs from agencies)

Kenya school fire: 17 boys killed, 70 missing; investigation underway

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8 students arrested after Kenya school dorm fire kills 16, injures dozens

16 students dead in dormitory fire at Kenya girls school

Kenya school fire: Authorities to start DNA testing to identify victims; govt declares 3 days of mourning

Kenya school fire: 17 boys killed, 70 missing; investigation underway