TRAGEDY: 17 Students Dead As Fire Razes Down School Dormitory At Hillside Endarasha Academy
A fire broke out at Hillside Endarasha Academy in Nyeri County, killing 17 students and leaving several others with serious injuries.
According to reports, the 17 students were burned beyond recognition during a night incident in which a fire engulfed a dormitory at the school.
The injured students were rushed to Nyeri Provincial General Hospital for specialized medical care.
Resila Onyango, a spokesperson for the National Police Service, confirmed the incident, but the cause of the fire had yet to be determined as of the publication of this article.
“We are investigating the cause and will take the necessary action,” Resila told journalists
Parents, teachers and DCI officers arrive at Hillside Endarasha Academy in Kieni, Nyeri county following a fire tragedy that left 17 pupils dead on Thursday night.
— TheStarKenya (@TheStarKenya) September 6, 2024
The affected parents and the students are undergoing counselling in separate rooms.
📸 Wangare Mwangi/KNA pic.twitter.com/SaEVoF8B2n
Nyeri County Police Commander Benjamin Rotich also confirmed the fatalities, saying the fire broke out around midnight when most of the students were asleep.
According to reports, first responders arrived on the scene but were unable to contain the raging inferno, which had spread rapidly and was difficult to control.
According to reports, the students were in their dormitory at the time of the incident.
After the fire broke out, 15 of the students were confirmed dead on the scene, with one dying while being transported to the hospital.
The school’s administration was also reported to have informed parents of the situation.
The police have cordoned off the scene from the public.
As of Friday morning, Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) Deputy Director John Onyango and Director of Homicide Martin Nyoguto were dispatched to the school to begin investigations into what happened.
It is expected that they will immediately begin investigating the cause of the fire and whether there was any negligence that contributed to the students’ deaths.
Kazi gani. Investigate your rogue governmnent on the fire incident that happened at Hillside Endarasha Academy in Kieni, Nyeri really. pic.twitter.com/UpvJlziyU4
— Zoqque (@mikekimoney) September 6, 2024
The Kenya Red Cross is on-site to provide psychosocial support to students, teachers and affected families and has set up a tracing desk at the school.
The aid organization has sent a mental health and psychological support team from Nairobi to relieve the unit in Nyeri.
TRAGEDY: 17 Students Dead As Fire Razes Down School Dormitory At Hillside Endarasha Academy
