Eight students arrested after deadly Kenya school fire

Eight students have been arrested over a suspected arson attack at a Kenyan girls’ boarding school that killed 16 students and injured 79 others, as investigators probe allegations of negligence, overcrowding and ignored warnings at the institution.

Kenyan authorities on Friday arrested eight students over a suspected arson attack at Utumishi Girls’ Academy Senior School in Gilgil, west-central Kenya, after a dormitory fire killed 16 students and left dozens injured.

According to the Directorate of Criminal Investigations, preliminary findings identified the students as persons of interest linked to the planning and execution of the blaze, which erupted in the early hours of Thursday. The eight girls are currently in police custody as investigations continue.

Investigators said the affected dormitory contained 135 bunk beds, raising concerns over overcrowding and safety standards at the school.

Officials cite negligence and safety failures

Education Minister Julius Ogamba said preliminary investigations found that two teachers had allegedly been informed of possible plans to start the fire but failed to intervene.

Ogamba also accused the school administration of ignoring safety regulations, pointing to overcrowded dormitories and a locked emergency exit during the fire, which may have contributed to the high death toll.

The government has since disbanded the school’s board of management and vowed legal and disciplinary action against any staff found to have neglected their duties.

Boarding school fires remain a recurring crisis

School fires have long been a recurring problem in Kenya, with researchers linking many incidents to student protests over harsh discipline and poor living conditions in boarding institutions.

In 2024, a fire at a boarding primary school in Nyeri County killed 21 students, although the cause was never conclusively established.

Kenya’s deadliest school fire in recent decades occurred in 2001 at Kyanguli Secondary School near Nairobi, where 67 boys were killed in a dormitory blaze authorities blamed on arson.

The latest tragedy has reignited concerns over student welfare, overcrowding and emergency preparedness in Kenyan schools.