Kenyan police have arrested eight female students after a severe fire broke out at the all-girls boarding school dormitory in Gilgil, resulting in 16 student deaths and 79 injuries. Authorities are urgently investigating the cause and suspect it may have been arson.
Kenya's Directorate of Criminal Investigations issued a statement saying police have detained eight female students who are key suspects in planning and setting fire to the dormitory building of Uthumishi Girls' High School in Gilgil, located in central Kenya.
The severe fire occurred in the early hours of Thursday, 28 May, severely damaging the ground floor of the two-story "Melino Waitera" dormitory, which houses 135 bunk beds. The blaze caused 16 female students to die instantly and left at least 79 others injured.
The Directorate stated, "Preliminary investigations, including reviewing CCTV footage, forensic analysis, and witness interviews at the scene, led to identifying the eight female students as persons of interest directly involved in this tragedy. The eight girls have now been arrested and are in police custody."
Investigators are currently recording statements and reconstructing the entire sequence of events. Forensic experts are examining burn patterns, ignition sources, electrical systems, and potential accelerants to determine the exact cause and uncover the motive behind this suspected arson.
The bodies of the 16 victims recovered from the fire debris have been transferred to the morgue at the medical school hospital in Nyawasha for formal autopsies and identification.
The investigation has been handed over to a multi-agency team comprising homicide detectives, forensic specialists, local investigators, intelligence officers, and disaster response units. The national police have expressed deep condolences to the families of the deceased, current students, and school staff, urging the public to remain calm and refrain from speculation as the legal process unfolds.
According to Kenyan government data, school fires are a disturbingly frequent problem in the country, with over 100 reported incidents at educational institutions throughout 2024.
Research by expert panels indicates that most school fires in Kenya originate from the students themselves deliberately setting fires to protest harsh disciplinary measures and to draw attention to poor living conditions and inadequate hygiene in these boarding schools. Authorities plan to consider these factors in the ongoing case.