Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba has confirmed that 16 students died in the tragic fire at Utumishi Girls Academy in Gilgil, Nakuru County, while announcing a dedicated hotline for parents to receive information and counselling support.
Ogamba said the fire broke out at about 12:45 a.m. in a dormitory on the second floor, destroying the building and leaving several students injured.
“It is a sad day today that we woke up with the sad news of a fire incident at this school, Utumishi Senior School, where at about 12:45 a.m., a fire broke out in one of the dorms on the second floor of that particular dorm and the dorm is destroyed, together with a lot of injuries to our learners. And unfortunately, we lost some of our learners in that incident,” he said.
The CS stated that the school has a total enrolment of 815 girls, with 808 present at the time of the incident, while seven were away for various reasons.
He said 79 students were taken to the hospital following the blaze. Of these, 71 have since been discharged, seven remain admitted, and one was picked up by a parent.
Ogamba added that identification of the victims is ongoing.
He announced that parents can use hotline number 1199 to report missing students and receive counselling services as authorities continue to account for all learners affected by the incident.
“At the time of the fire, responses were received from the security agencies. Investigations are ongoing, and there is a hotline number 1199 to which we shall be asking the parents to report, especially those who might have left with their kids when they came earlier. That hotline number will also be available for counselling. We shall release the learners who are here with their parents in the course of the day,” he said.
Ogamba urged the public to avoid speculation on the cause of the fire, noting that investigations are underway to establish what happened and whether safety procedures were followed.
“Let’s not be speculative at this stage. We have a safety school manual that all schools adhere to. Let’s wait and see if the manual was adhered to after the investigation,” he added.
Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen also expressed condolences to the bereaved families, urging patience as authorities continue with victim identification and investigations.
“I pass my condolences to the families that have lost their loved ones. We know that this is a very anxious moment, even as we account for the 16 so far identified as having passed on. I ask Kenyans to stand together; we stand with you in prayer and support. I ask you to be patient and avoid speculation as to the cause of the tragedy,” Murkomen said.
