Eight Students Arrested After Deadly Kenya School Fire

• Kenyan police arrested eight students identified as persons of interest following a deadly dormitory fire at Utumishi Girls Academy in Gilgil
• The fire killed 16 students and injured 79 others after flames swept through the upper floor of a crowded dormitory building
• Education authorities discovered safety breaches at the school, including overcrowding and a locked exit door during the preliminary investigation

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Kenyan police have arrested eight students following a deadly fire at a girls’ boarding school in Gilgil that claimed the lives of 16 pupils and left dozens injured.

The incident occurred in the early hours of Thursday, May 28, at Utumishi Girls Academy, located about 120 kilometres from Nairobi, reported CNN.

According to the BBC, authorities said the blaze destroyed the upper section of a dormitory building that housed 135 bunk beds.

Police investigators disclosed that the arrests followed interviews with students and school staff as well as a review of CCTV footage gathered from the school premises.

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What caused Kenya school fire?

According to the National Police Service, the eight students were identified as persons of interest linked to the alleged planning and execution of the fire.

Some of the students were reportedly traced to their homes and brought back for questioning, while others were detained within the area during the investigation.

Authorities stated that the suspects were among 30 students earlier recalled to assist detectives handling the case. Investigators are yet to officially determine the exact cause of the fire.

Kenya’s Education Minister, Julius Ogamba, said preliminary findings revealed several safety violations at the school, including overcrowding and a locked emergency exit.

“In particular, there was congestion in the dormitory and one exit door was locked, contrary to the prescribed safety requirements,” he said.

How many students were injured?

The minister announced the dissolution of the school’s board of management and directed that action be taken against the principal of the institution.

He added that disciplinary and legal measures would be applied against individuals found negligent in their responsibilities.

Apart from the fatalities, 79 students sustained injuries during the incident. Some of the victims were reportedly hurt after jumping from the first floor of the dormitory while trying to escape the flames.

Seven injured students were transferred to hospitals in Nairobi for specialised treatment, while others received medical attention and were later discharged.

Scenes of grief surrounded the school as anxious relatives waited for information about missing students and injured victims.

“I arrived at the school at 07:00 and three hours later I don't have any information,” Njuki Nthimba told the BBC while searching for his niece.

The bodies of the deceased students were moved to a nearby mortuary for preservation and DNA identification as investigations continue.

Three arrested over murder of seven family members

Earlier, Legit.ng reported that three suspects have been arrested over the killing of seven members of a single family in Newark, KwaZulu-Natal, in a case that has shocked communities across South Africa.

The victims, aged between 20 and 83, were abducted from their home before their bodies were later discovered in a remote area near Melmoth.