A fire engulfed a boarding school dormitory in central Kenya early Friday, killing 17 sleeping boys, as reported by police. The victims were found unrecognizable due to severe burns, with footage showing collapsed iron roofing and scorched metal boxes on bunk beds.
The blaze occurred at Hillside Endarasha Academy in Nyeri, which is a primary boarding school for young children. According to police spokesperson Resila Onyango, 17 pupils died and 14 were injured. The boys were between 9 and 13 years old and were in grades 4 to 8.
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The cause of the fire remains unknown. President William Ruto has called for a thorough investigation into the “horrific incident” and promised accountability for those responsible.
The Kenya Red Cross reported that the school has been sealed off, and previous school fires in Kenya, often linked to arson, include incidents in Nairobi and Homa Bay County with significant fatalities.
