At least 17 children have tragically lost their lives and 13 others have sustained severe burns in a devastating fire that engulfed Hillside Endarasha Academy, a boarding school in Nyeri, central Kenya, on Friday.
The fire, which started on Thursday night in one of the school’s dormitories, resulted in the victims’ bodies being described as “burnt beyond recognition,” according to National Police Spokesperson Resila Onyango.
The school is located approximately 150 km north of Nairobi in the central highlands of Kenya.
“There are 17 fatalities from this incident and there are also others who were taken to hospital with serious injuries,” she said.
She added that authorities are concerned that the death toll may increase as more bodies could potentially be recovered from the wreckage.
The cause of the fire is currently unknown, and an investigation has been launched to determine how the tragedy occurred.
“I instruct relevant authorities to thoroughly investigate this horrific incident. Those responsible will be held to account,” he wrote on X.
His deputy, Rigathi Gachagua, urged school administrators to ensure that safety guidelines recommended by the education ministry for boarding schools were being followed.
