Families in the Kenyan city of Gilgil are coming together after a fire broke out at Utumishi Girls Academy. In the late night/early morning hours, fire tore through one dorm building that housed over 200 students, engulfing it in flames. Students began running in terror, some fleeing the grounds, while others made a hasty escape however they could. This led to many students sustaining injuries and being taken to local hospitals. So far, 16 of the students housed in the dorm have died.
The students were sleeping when the fire broke out.
The fire started at the boarding school, which is about 77 miles northwest of Nairobi, the country’s capital, around 1 a.m. on May 28, 2026, the BBC reported. The dorm block that caught fire housed about 220 students, according to the outlet. First responder teams were able to put the fire out at around 3 a.m.
The Kenya Red Cross Society arrived on the scene around 3:30 a.m., the organization said in a Facebook post.
“Our first responders, E-Plus ambulance crew and our psychosocial support personnel are currently on the ground supporting affected students alongside other responders and relevant authorities,” the post explained.
According to an incident report filed at Gilgil Police Station, police said Joycelene Muraguri, the school’s principal, reported the fire around 4:30 a.m., local outlet Citizen Digital reported.
As of the evening of May 28, the school was still assessing property damage. The cause of the fire also has yet to be established.
It has been confirmed that 16 students have died.
Police said that 74 students were hospitalized with various injuries as a result of the fire, Citizen Digital reported.
Kenya’s Ministry of Gender, Culture and Children Services, released a statement that was shared by the country’s State Department for Children Services. In the statement, the ministry “expresses profound sorrow following the tragic fire incident … which has regrettably resulted in loss of lives and injuries among learners.”
The statement added: “We extend our heartfelt condolences to the families, guardians, school community, and all those affected by this unfortunate tragedy. We also wish a quick recovery to all injured learners currently receiving medical attention.”
Kenyan President William Ruto also released a statement about the tragedy, Kenyan outlet The Star reported.
“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.”
According to Ruto, the government is currently focusing on rescue efforts, treating those who are injured, and supporting the families affected. The investigation into what happened is ongoing.
Utumishi Girls Academy families are just trying to understand what’s happening.
“When we arrived at the school we were told to queue. Most of us were so worried because we had heard some students had died and others were injured and in hospital,” Wambui Nderitu told the BBC. Her cousin attends the school.
According to Nderitu, some students on the top floors of the dorm building had to jump out of windows to escape the flames. This caused injuries. Her cousin was one of the injured, but thankfully survived.
“I found her … she is fine … but she has a broken leg,” she said.
However, not all families had the same luck. “We trusted this school with our children. Right now we don’t even know who is alive,” one parent told the outlet while waiting outside.
Mom Roselyn Rakamba told the outlet that she felt “traumatized” after a friend told her about the fire. She rushed to the school, and on her way, her 14-year-old daughter reached out to let her know she was safe.
“I am happy now, but not really because some of the parents have lost their children and in this school, we are like a family,” she said.
Eight students have been arrested in connection with the fire.
At least eight students are being suspected of arson, according to police, Al Jazeera reported. On May 29, the Directorate of Criminal Investigation said that a preliminary investigation turned up students identified as “persons of interest in connection with the planning and execution of the suspected arson attack.”
“The eight girls have since been arrested and are currently in police custody,” the statement said.
Kenyan Education Minister Julius Ogamba said that two teachers allegedly knew about the plan, and didn’t stop the students.
