16 students dead in Utumishi Girls school dormitory fire, Gilgil

16 dead following dormitory fire at Utumishi Girls Academy in Gilgil, Nakuru County, police have said.

Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba has said 79 students were injured, with seven admitted to hospital for further treatment.

According to the Kenya Red Cross, emergency teams were deployed after the blaze broke out at the school, with at least 15 students initially feared dead.

Police later confirmed that the death toll is estimated at about 16, while injured students were rushed to various medical facilities with varying degrees of injuries and are reported to be in stable condition.

The fire is reported to have broken out at around 1 am and was reported at approximately 3.30 am on Thursday, according to the Kenya Red Cross.

In a statement, the Kenya Red Cross said: “Following a fire incident reported at around 3:30am at Utumishi Girls Academy in Nakuru County, Kenya Red Cross responded to support the ongoing emergency response.”

They added: “Our first responders, @EMS_Kenya ambulance crew and our psychosocial support personnel are currently on the ground supporting affected students alongside other responders and relevant authorities.”

Response operations are ongoing as emergency teams continue to assess the situation and support affected students. Authorities have not yet released further details as investigations into the cause of the fire continue.

Parents streamed to the school gates in large numbers as news of the tragedy spread across Gilgil and neighbouring areas, with police restricting access and allowing only parents into the compound as rescue and investigative operations continued.

The injured students were taken to St. Joseph’s Hospital in Gilgil for assessment and treatment.

President William Ruto has mourned the students who lost their lives, saying the nation shares in the grief of affected families.

“Our hearts and prayers are with the families who have lost their beloved daughters in the tragic fire at Utumishi Girls Academy in Gilgil,” he said.

“No words can truly ease the pain of losing young lives filled with promise, hope, and dreams for the future.”

Ruto said the government’s immediate focus is on rescue efforts, treatment of the injured, and support for affected families as investigations continue.