A devastating blaze at a primary boarding school in the heart of Kenya has tragically claimed the lives of 17 students, according to a spokeswoman for the Kenyan police.
President William Ruto responded to the catastrophe by requesting a thorough investigation from relevant authorities, vowing that anyone found culpable would answer for their actions.
The tragic incident occurred at the Hillside Endarasha Academy in Nyeri. A dispatch for additional rescue aid was reported by Resila Onyango, a police spokeswoman, during a Kenya’s Hot 96 FM radio broadcast. Detailed information was promised by authorities in due course.
“Seventeen students have tragically perished, while 14 others are sustained injuries in the blaze.” Onyango communicated to Reuters over the phone, adding, “Our team is present on site at the moment.”
Earlier on, Citizen Television reported that the fire had caused severe burns to the victims, rendering them unrecognisable.
In a statement on his X account, President Ruto ordered: “I mandate the respective bodies to conduct an in-depth probe into this terrifying incident. Those accountable will answer for their deeds.”
Security forces have sealed off the school premises, as reported by the Kenya Red Cross on X.
This blaze adds to the rising number of school fires in Kenya over the recent years, with many investigations concluding arson as the cause. A previous incident in September 2017 recorded the death of nine students due to a fire in a Nairobi-based school, a tragedy that government detectives tied to arson.
Marking as one of the worst incidents, a dormitory fire at the Kyanguli Secondary School on the outskirts of Nairobi resulted in the death of 58 schoolboys in 2001. A blaze in a school in 2012, situated in Homa Bay County in western Kenya, claimed the lives of eight students. – Reuters.