A fire at Hillside Endarasha Primary School in Nyeri County, central Kenya, claimed the lives of at least 17 students on Thursday night, police confirmed. Many others, suffering severe burns, were rushed to the hospital, and authorities fear the death toll could rise.
The cause of the blaze remains unknown, and investigators are working to determine what sparked the tragedy. President William Ruto expressed his condolences, describing the incident as “horrific” and vowing that those responsible would be held accountable.
The Kenya Red Cross has stepped in to offer psychosocial support to students, teachers, and affected families. School fires, particularly in boarding schools, are not uncommon in Kenya. In 2017, an arson attack at Moi Girls High School in Nairobi killed 10 students, and the deadliest incident in the country’s history saw 67 students die in a fire in Machakos County over 20 years ago.