GILGIL, KENYA — The Ministry of Education has ordered the immediate and indefinite closure of Utumishi Girls’ Academy in Gilgil, Nakuru County, following a devastating Thursday morning dormitory fire that has left 16 students dead and 79 others injured.
Education Cabinet Secretary Migos Ogamba, alongside Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen, confirmed the government’s directive during a tense visit to the institution, appealing for calm as multi-agency detectives launch an intensive probe into the tragedy.
The Midnight Inferno
According to emergency responders, the blaze broke out at approximately 1:00 AM on Thursday, tearing through the Meline Waithera dormitory block. The massive structure was housing over 200 learners at the time, cutting across Grade 10, Form Three, and Form Four classes.
While the Kenya Red Cross and emergency services were officially alerted at around 3:30 AM, responding alongside teams from the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) and local fire brigades, the fast-moving inferno had already trapped dozens of sleeping students inside.
Rift Valley Regional Police Commander Samuel Ndanyi confirmed that emergency teams spent the day combing through the debris.
“Out of the 808 girls enrolled at the school, we have confirmed 16 fatalities. The process of forensic identification is currently taking place,” Education CS Ogamba stated during the press briefing at the school compound.
Injuries and Emergency Status
Government officials verified that 79 students sustained varying degrees of injuries during the frantic evacuation. While 71 learners have been treated and successfully discharged from local facilities, seven students remain admitted under close medical supervision at Gilgil Sub-County Hospital and St. Joseph’s Hospital.
Interior CS Kipchumba Murkomen noted that the incident has deeply impacted the security sector, as Utumishi Girls’ Academy primarily serves the children of officers within the National Police Service.
“Most of the children who school here are daughters of our officers serving in the line of duty. As a ministry and a family, we stand with the affected families during this dark hour,” Murkomen said, warning the public against unverified online speculation regarding the cause of the fire.
Anguish at the School Gates
Distraught parents and guardians from various parts of the country camped outside the school gates from dawn, demanding answers as police restricted access to preserve the active crime scene. To aid families desperate for information, the government has established an emergency hotline (1199) to provide direct tracking updates and psychosocial counseling services.
Detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) have officially taken over the site to establish whether the fire was an accident or a case of arson.
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