Arrest and Safety Lapses: Deadly Dormitory Fire Kills 16 Girls at Kenyan School

The fire and the arrests

In the early hours of Thursday, May 28, a fire ripped through a dormitory at the Utumishi Girls Academy in Gilgil, central Kenya, killing 16 students and injuring 79. The blaze broke out around 1 a.m. local time and consumed the upper floor of a building housing 135 bunk beds, trapping many. Firefighters and police eventually brought the blaze under control and evacuated other students, with the injured rushed to nearby hospitals. After extensive interviews with 30 students and staff and a forensic review of CCTV footage, police arrested eight female students on Friday on suspicion of arson.

Detectives continue to record statements and analyze all available evidence to reconstruct the sequence of events, establish the full circumstances of the incident, and determine the motive.

The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) described the eight as "persons of interest" in the planning and execution of what they suspect was a deliberate fire. While a motive remains unknown, parents of students reported being left uninformed and frustrated by the lack of communication from authorities.

Safety violations and official response

Education Minister Julius Ogamba disclosed on Friday that preliminary findings indicated two teachers had been warned of the students' alleged plan but failed to intervene. He also condemned the school's disregard for safety regulations, citing severe overcrowding in the dormitories and an emergency exit that was locked at the time of the fire.

The school failed to observe safety rules. The emergency exit was locked during the fire, and the dormitories were overcrowded.

In response, the government dissolved the school's board of management and vowed to take legal and disciplinary action against any staff found neglectful.

A recurring tragedy in Kenyan schools

The Utumishi disaster is the latest in a series of fatal school fires in Kenya's boarding schools. Kenya's boarding schools, especially in rural areas, are often the only option for secondary education, with many students traveling long distances on foot. This reliance on dormitories makes safety standards critical, yet overcrowding and lax enforcement persist. A 2024 blaze at a primary boarding school in Nyeri County killed 21 children, though its cause was never determined. The most devastating recent incident occurred in 2001, when 67 boys perished in an arson attack at Kyanguli Secondary School near Nairobi. According to Kenyan government data, more than 100 school fires were recorded in 2024 alone. Researchers and officials often attribute these fires to student protests triggered by harsh discipline, poor living conditions, and inadequate facilities. In several past cases, locked exits and barred windows prevented victims from escaping.

Aftermath and unanswered questions

As the investigation continues, the bodies of the 16 victims are undergoing DNA testing to confirm their identities. Of the 79 injured, 71 have been discharged from hospital, while seven remain under treatment. The school, which has over 800 students, remains closed. The Minister of the Interior has urged the public not to speculate on the motive, but the incident has reignited a national debate over student welfare, overcrowding, and emergency preparedness in Kenya's boarding schools.