This archive report was first published on 1 November 2021.
On a fateful Sunday evening, a fire outbreak in the dormitories of Buruburu Girls High School in Nairobi left at least 80 students injured and two in critical condition.
According to Nairobi Women Representative Esther Passaris, the students were rushed to Metropolitan and Jamaa hospitals for examination and treatment.
Two students, who had jumped from the first floor of the dormitory in a desperate bid to escape the inferno, were admitted to hospital for further examination, including X-ray tests.
Police struggled to maintain order as parents, who had thronged the school after a video of the incident went viral, demanded answers from school authorities.
Education Principal Secretary Julius Jwan assured the parents that an investigation would be conducted to determine the cause of the fire, which started in one of the cubicles.
Ms. Passaris also addressed the parents, assuring them that the students who inhaled smoke would receive medical attention, despite the hospitals being overwhelmed.
“Even though you saw the videos, one of the girls who jumped has been attended to and the other one is being examined. There are about 80 students who inhaled smoke and could not be admitted because the hospitals are overwhelmed,” Ms. Passaris said.
