A family affected by the deadly Utumishi Girls Academy fire tragedy has been thrown into deeper grief after the mother of one of the injured students died in a road accident while rushing to the school.
According to police reports, the woman lost her life in an accident along the Gilgil-Nakuru highway shortly after receiving news of the devastating dormitory fire at the school on Thursday morning.
The mother was reportedly travelling with her husband to the institution when their vehicle was involved in a fatal crash at the Kariandusi area.
She died on the spot, while her husband sustained injuries and was rushed to hospital for treatment.
Their daughter, who was among students caught up in the fire incident, survived but suffered injuries and is currently receiving medical care.
The heartbreaking development has left the family struggling to cope with the pain of two tragedies unfolding within hours of each other.
The fire at Utumishi Girls Academy claimed the lives of 16 students and left at least 79 others injured, according to the Ministry of Education.
The blaze broke out in the early hours of Thursday while students were asleep inside one of the dormitories.
Parents and survivors who visited the school after the incident alleged that some students were unable to escape quickly because one of the emergency exits was reportedly locked during the fire.