At least 16 students killed in overnight fire at Kenyan boarding school

At least 16 students have died in a fire at a boarding school in the Kenyan town of Gilgil, authorities confirmed on Thursday. At least 79 others were injured in the overnight blaze at the Utumishi Girls School in central Kenya.

The cause of the fire hasn't yet been established. Police say they’re investigating whether safety regulations were followed.

The fire started in the early hours of the morning in a dormitory building housing more than 200 students.

The government-owned secondary school is managed and sponsored by the Kenya Police Service. Many of the students are daughters of police officers.

School fires are common in Kenyan boarding schools, with some caused by arson and others by electrical faults. Overcrowding and a failure to follow safety guidelines, including keeping doors clear and windows unlocked, often result in a high number of casualties.

Kenya's deadliest school fire in recent history occurred in 2001 when 67 students died in a dormitory fire in Machakos County.

In 2024, 21 students burned to death in a school fire in central Kenya. President William Ruto declared three days of mourning.

In 2017, 10 students died in a school fire in Nairobi. A student was charged with murder.