A fire at a school dormitory in Kenya is believed to have killed at least 18 students. Many more are said to have been hospitalised while dozens remain missing.
RELATED: UPDATE: Colin Gray, father of Apalachee High School shooting suspect, has been arrested and charged
More details on Kenya dormitory fire
According to AP NewsA fire broke out at Hillside Endarasha Primary School in Nyeri County on Thursday evening, September 5. The school is said to cater for children up to fourteen years of age and has over 820 students. Meanwhile, the dormitory is said to have about 150 male students.
In addition, the news agency noted that the school was built with wooden planks. Therefore, the fire spread quickly.
Each AP NewsDeputy President William Ruto confirmed that 18 children had died. There were reports that another 27 children were still in hospital and about 70 were missing.
A Kenya National Police Service spokesman reportedly stated that the bodies of the deceased were “burned beyond recognition”, according to CNN.
Officials speak out about dormitory fire
Officials are now working to “consolidate” the figures and ensure that all children who were at the school at the time of the fire are accounted for, the source said.
“We are asking parents who have picked up their children and the community to support us as we consolidate the numbers to ensure that we account for every child who is boarding at this school,” Belio Kipsang, permanent secretary at Kenya’s Ministry of Education, was reported to have said in a statement. AP News.
Meanwhile, President Ruto took to X, formerly known as Twitter, to wish the survivors of the fire a “speedy recovery”. The president also declared that those responsible for the fire would be “held accountable”.
“We extend our condolences to the families of the children who lost their lives in the tragic fire at Hillside Endarasha Academy in Nyeri County. This is heartbreaking news. We pray for the survivors’ speedy recovery,” he wrote. “I instruct the relevant authorities to thoroughly investigate this horrific incident. Those responsible will be held accountable. The government… is mobilizing all necessary resources to assist the affected families.”
We extend our condolences to the families of the children who lost their lives in the fire at Hillside Endarasha Academy in Nyeri County.
This is really heartbreaking news.
We pray for the survivors’ speedy recovery.
I instruct the competent authorities to thoroughly investigate…
— William Samoei Ruto, PhD (@WilliamsRuto) September 6, 2024
According to the source, most families in the country use boarding schools for their children to reduce “long commute times”. School fires in the area are reported to be “frequent… often caused by arson due to drug abuse and overcrowding”.
Furthermore, at this time, it remains unclear whether the boarding school has appropriate safety procedures in place to prevent the risk of fire and facilitate safe escape should a fire occur.
Here’s what happened recently in Kenya
EQUAL Shade room As previously reported, Kenya made national headlines in June. At that time, protesters reportedly stormed parliament to protest Ruto’s leadership.
The incident reportedly left at least five people dead and more than 30 injured. Furthermore, in an attempt to quell the protests, Kenyan police in riot gear reportedly stormed the area, firing tear gas at protesters.
In addition to gaining national attention, footage of former President Barack Obama’s sister, Auma, being tear gassed amid civil unrest also went viral.
RELATED: Here’s What’s Happening in Kenya and Why It’s Trending on Social Media Right Now (PHOTOS)
What do you think, roommate?
