UTUMUSHI GIRLS FIRE: Parents Expose School Dorm’s Feeble Structure
A parent of one of the girls at Utumishi Girls Academy in Gilgil, Nakuru County, has disclosed horrifying facts about the horrific dormitory fire, which killed 16 pupils and injured dozens.
Speaking on Thursday morning, only moments after the tragedy, the parent stated that one of the emergency exits stayed shut during the fire, exacerbating the situation within the crowded dormitory.
“The dormitory is divided into upper and lower sections, so while he was in the lower section of the dorm, the matron opened one of the emergency doors to allow students to leave during the incident,” the parent said.
“He gave the learners a signal and immediately left the dormitory, leaving the students inside.”
According to the parent, kids trapped in the upper area of the dormitory were forced to jump to the ground to escape the flames, with several incurring serious injuries.
“Those who were on the upper part of the dorm, some jumped to the ground and sustained serious injuries, and that is why you hear that some are nursing critical injuries and are in the hospital,” the parent added.
Leah Serem, a parent at Utumishi Girls, narrates what her daughter told her regarding fire outbreak pic.twitter.com/YhL7TruhoP— NTV Kenya (@ntvkenya) May 28, 2026
The parent further blamed the school for allegedly having only one matron assigned to the dormitory, arguing that the presence of two matrons could have helped open both emergency exits.
“I call on the government to always ensure student dormitories have at least two matrons because this one had only a single matron,” the parent proposed.
“Because when the matron opened one of the doors, another door remained locked, so if there were two matrons, they could have easily opened the two doors at a go, and we would not have had many deaths.”
While narrating the incident, the emotional parent also urged the relevant authorities to take stern action against those found responsible for the incident.
The tragic fire broke out in the early hours of Thursday at the Meline Waithera Block dormitory, which was housing 220 students drawn from Grade 10, Form Three and Form Four classes.
Parents are really distressed and agonizing over the Utumishi Girls Academy incident pic.twitter.com/gL4YjLdGz2— Wambua (@Itswambuaa) May 28, 2026
As of the time of publication, police confirmed that 16 students had died in the incident, while 74 others were rushed to the hospital with injuries.
Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen, Education Principal Secretary Julius Bitok and Deputy Inspector General of Police Eliud Lagat have since arrived at the school to assess the situation.
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Meanwhile, President William Ruto has joined the nation in mourning students who lost their lives in the tragedy, saying the country was united in grief with the affected families.
“Our hearts and prayers are with the families who have lost their beloved daughters in the tragic fire at Utumishi Girls Academy in Gilgil,” Ruto said in a statement.
“No words can truly ease the pain of losing young lives filled with promise, hope, and dreams for the future.”
Before adding, “As a nation, we mourn with the parents, guardians, teachers, and fellow students who are enduring this unimaginable tragedy.”
The President said the government’s immediate focus is on rescue efforts, treatment of the injured students, and support for affected families as investigations into the cause of the fire continue.
UTUMUSHI GIRLS FIRE: Parents Expose School Dorm’s Feeble Structure
