Post-mortem examinations conducted on the 16 students who died in the tragic Utumishi Girls' Academy dormitory fire have confirmed that all the victims succumbed to severe burn injuries, according to the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI).
In a statement issued on Sunday, May 31, the DCI said findings from a team of pathologists at Naivasha Sub-County Hospital showed that all the students suffered extensive thermal injuries caused by the fast-moving blaze that swept through the dormitory on May 28.
"The examinations confirmed that all sixteen students died as a result of severe burns," the DCI stated.
The findings contradict earlier reports suggesting that 10 of the students died from suffocation while six succumbed to burns. Investigators now say the autopsy results conclusively established that severe burns were the sole cause of death in all cases.
The extent of the injuries also complicated the identification process, forcing authorities to collect DNA samples from relatives of the deceased to facilitate formal identification of the remains.
"DNA reference samples were collected from the families of the deceased students to enable accurate identification, necessitated by the severity of the burns," the agency added.
The devastating fire, which also left more than 70 students injured, has triggered nationwide grief and renewed concerns about safety standards in boarding schools. Investigations into the cause of the blaze are ongoing, with detectives pursuing several leads, including students identified through CCTV footage.
Meanwhile, the Kenya Red Cross Society has been providing psychosocial support to grieving families, many of whom were allowed to view the bodies of their loved ones as authorities continue efforts to establish accountability for one of the country's deadliest school tragedies in recent years.