Kenya School Fire Claims 17 Children, Leaves Community in Mourning

A devastating fire swept through a primary school dormitory in central Kenya, claiming the lives of at least 17 children, police reported on Friday.

The tragic incident occurred at Hillside Endarasha Academy in Nyeri county, where a blaze broke out around midnight, engulfing the rooms where the children were sleeping.

The primary school, which caters to approximately 800 pupils aged between five and 12, was left reeling from the disaster.

National police spokesperson Resila Onyango confirmed the fatalities, stating that the bodies recovered at the scene were burnt beyond recognition.

Onyango reported that 16 others were seriously injured and rushed to a nearby hospital, with several more receiving treatment for minor injuries.

The average age of the victims was around nine years old, police said, leaving a community in shock and grief.

Kenyan President William Ruto expressed his devastation at the news, instructing officials to thoroughly investigate the incident and promising that those responsible would be held accountable.

The school, located 170 kilometers north of Nairobi, was the scene of a multi-agency response team, with the Kenyan Red Cross providing psychosocial support services to pupils, teachers, and affected families.

This incident is the latest in a series of school fires in Kenya and East Africa, highlighting concerns about safety and security in educational institutions.

In 2016, nine students lost their lives in a fire at a girls’ high school in Nairobi’s Kibera neighborhood, while in 2001, 67 pupils were killed in an arson attack on their dormitory at Kyanguli Mixed Secondary School.

Two pupils were charged with murder, and the headmaster and deputy were convicted of negligence in the 2001 incident, which led to calls for improved safety measures in schools.

The 1994 fire at Shauritanga Secondary School for Girls in Tanzania, which claimed the lives of 40 school children and injured 47, serves as a stark reminder of the importance of prioritizing safety in educational institutions.

Meanwhile, the Lagos State House of Assembly has revised the 2024 budget, maintaining a total amount of N2,267,976,120,869. 

This adjustment was driven by a request from Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu.

The reordering became necessary due to rising inflation and the need to address and prioritize urgent and unforeseen infrastructure demands.