Several Students Feared Dead Following Dawn Fire at Utumishi Girls Academy in Nakuru

Several Students Feared Dead Following Dawn Fire at Utumishi Girls Academy in Nakuru

Several students are feared dead following a devastating dormitory fire that broke out at Utumishi Girls Academy in Gilgil, Nakuru County, during the early hours of Thursday morning, plunging families, school officials, and emergency responders into panic and uncertainty.

The tragic incident, which occurred at approximately 1am according to preliminary reports, triggered a massive emergency response as firefighters, police officers, medics, and humanitarian teams rushed to the school to contain the inferno and rescue trapped students.

The Kenya Red Cross confirmed that the incident was officially reported at around 3:30am, after which emergency teams were immediately dispatched to the scene to assist in rescue efforts and provide humanitarian support.

“Following a fire incident reported at around 3:30am at Utumishi Girls Academy in Nakuru County, Kenya Red Cross responded to support the ongoing emergency response,” the humanitarian organisation said in an official statement.

The organisation further revealed that emergency medical teams, ambulances, and psychosocial support personnel had been deployed to the school to assist traumatised students, teachers, and parents as authorities worked to establish the full scale of the tragedy.

“Our first responders, E-Plus ambulance crew and our psychosocial support personnel are currently on the ground supporting affected students alongside other responders and relevant authorities,” the Kenya Red Cross added.

By Thursday morning, anxious parents had gathered outside the school gates seeking information about their children, with scenes of distress and confusion unfolding as security officers restricted access into the institution.

Police officers and detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) cordoned off the area and launched investigations into the cause of the fire, while school administrators and security teams conducted a head count to determine how many students had been inside the affected dormitory when the blaze erupted.

Rift Valley Regional Commander Masoud Munyi confirmed that authorities had prioritised rescue operations and accounting for all students before releasing additional details.

“We have deployed our officers and DCI detectives to the school, and a head count is currently underway to establish exactly how many students were present at the time of the fire. For now, only parents will be allowed access into the school,” Munyi stated.

Despite assurances from authorities, several parents said they were still unable to confirm the whereabouts or condition of their children hours after the fire broke out.

Witnesses described chaotic scenes as students fled from the dormitory amid screams and heavy smoke, while emergency responders battled to contain the blaze before it spread to nearby buildings within the institution.

Some of the injured students were rushed to St. Joseph’s Hospital in Gilgil for emergency medical treatment and assessment, although officials had not yet released the exact number of casualties or injuries by the time of publication.

Authorities have not yet established the cause of the fire, but investigators are expected to examine whether the incident may have been caused by an electrical fault, negligence, or possible arson.

The tragedy has once again raised fresh concerns over the safety standards in Kenyan boarding schools, particularly following a recent increase in dormitory fires reported across various learning institutions nationwide.

Education stakeholders and parents have repeatedly called on schools to strengthen fire preparedness measures, improve emergency exits, and conduct regular safety drills to prevent such disasters.

The Ministry of Education has in recent years intensified enforcement of school safety regulations, requiring institutions to comply with national fire safety standards and install adequate firefighting equipment within dormitories and classrooms.

Thursday’s fire is likely to renew debate over whether schools are doing enough to guarantee student safety, especially during nighttime hours when dormitory incidents often turn deadly due to delayed responses and overcrowding.

As investigations continue, families across Nakuru and neighbouring counties remain gripped by fear and uncertainty while awaiting official confirmation regarding the number of victims and the identities of those affected by the devastating blaze.

Authorities have urged members of the public to remain calm and avoid spreading unverified information as rescue operations and investigations continue at the school.

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Several Students Feared Dead Following Dawn Fire at Utumishi Girls Academy in Nakuru