Tragedy in Nakuru as Dormitory Fire Kills 10 Utumishi Girls Academy Students

Fresh details have emerged following the deadly dormitory fire at Utumishi Girls Academy, with police now confirming that several students fled outside the school compound in panic during the chaotic overnight incident.

The latest development has intensified anxiety among parents as authorities continue efforts to account for every learner following the tragic blaze that struck the school in the early hours of Thursday morning.

According to police, fear and confusion triggered by the fire caused some students to run into surrounding areas after escaping from the burning dormitory.

Speaking at the institution, Principal Deputy to the Deputy Inspector General of Police Mousad Mwinyi said security officers had launched a large-scale search operation around the school and neighbouring areas.

“As we speak now, we are combing the area. Out of fear and anxiety, many students moved out, and this happened at night. Our team of nearly fifty officers is searching the surrounding areas to establish who may still be out there,” Mwinyi stated.

Authorities say efforts are underway to trace all students who may have fled and safely return them to the institution as school officials continue conducting roll calls to establish whether any learners remain unaccounted for.

The fire, which reportedly broke out at around 3.30am, sparked widespread panic within the school compound, forcing emergency responders into a frantic overnight rescue operation.

Kenya Red Cross Society teams remain deployed at the school alongside firefighters, police officers, and medical personnel assisting in rescue efforts and supporting affected students.

Despite widespread reports circulating online, authorities have so far declined to officially confirm casualty figures, urging the public to avoid speculation as investigations and student tracing operations continue.

The uncertainty has left parents in anguish, with many streaming to the school since dawn seeking information about the safety and whereabouts of their children.

Officials at the institution have since organised parents into designated waiting areas according to students’ classes and streams to assist in the identification and verification process.

The incident has once again cast a spotlight on safety standards in Kenyan boarding schools, particularly emergency preparedness and the handling of disasters occurring during night hours when students are asleep.

Investigations into the cause of the fire are ongoing.

The death toll from the devastating dormitory fire at Utumishi Girls Academy has risen to 16, deepening the tragedy and intensifying fears among parents still searching for their daughters following the overnight inferno.

Authorities also confirmed that at least 74 students are currently admitted at St. Joseph's Hospital and other medical facilities with varying degrees of injuries sustained during the chaotic escape from the burning dormitory.

The latest figures emerged as senior government officials visited the school to assess the situation and oversee rescue and response efforts.

Among those who toured the scene were Kipchumba Murkomen, Migos Ogamba and Susan Kihika, who met school administrators, emergency responders and distraught parents gathered outside the institution.

Meanwhile, emotional scenes continued unfolding at both the school and hospitals as desperate parents flocked to the facilities trying to trace their children amid confusion over the exact number of students accounted for.

Some parents were seen moving between hospital wards and school grounds seeking information, while others waited anxiously for official communication from authorities.

Police have also intensified search operations in neighbouring areas after reports emerged that several students fled the school compound during the fire out of fear and panic.

The tragedy has once again reignited concerns over dormitory safety standards, emergency exits, and disaster preparedness in Kenyan boarding schools, with pressure mounting on authorities to establish whether negligence or safety failures contributed to the scale of the disaster.

Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba has ordered the release of all students at Utumishi Girls’ Academy in Gilgil, Nakuru County, to their parents by midday Thursday following a devastating dormitory fire that has claimed 16 lives.

Speaking during a press briefing on May 28, the CS said the decision was made after authorities began the process of accounting for all learners and ensuring safe reunification with their families.

“All learners will be released to their parents during the course of the day once the necessary verification processes are completed. The cause of the fire is not yet known, and investigations are ongoing,” Ogamba said.

The ministry has instructed parents to report through a government emergency hotline as officials continue tracing students and verifying their safety status. The hotline, 1199, has been activated to assist in reporting, counselling, and tracking learners who may have left the institution with relatives or guardians after the incident.

“We ask parents to keep reporting, especially those who may have picked up their children. The hotline will also support counselling services for affected families,” he added.

Ogamba confirmed that Utumishi Girls has a total enrollment of 815 students. At the time of the incident, 808 were present on campus while seven were away for undisclosed reasons.

He further reported that 16 students died in the fire, while 79 others were injured. Of those injured, 71 have since been treated and discharged, while others remain under medical care.

Preliminary reports indicate that the fire broke out at approximately 12:45 a.m. and was contained around 3:00 a.m. by emergency response teams, although significant destruction had already occurred within the affected dormitory.

The CS cautioned against speculation on the cause of the fire, stressing that investigations are ongoing to determine whether the school complied with the national school safety guidelines.

“At this stage, let us avoid speculation. There are established safety standards for schools, and investigations will establish whether they were followed,” Ogamba said.

The tragedy has sparked renewed concern over fire preparedness and safety compliance in boarding schools across the country, as families continue to seek answers and clarity on how the incident unfolded.

Fresh details have emerged over the deadly fire at Utumishi Girls Academy in Gilgil, Nakuru County, with a parent alleging that a locked emergency exit may have contributed to the high death toll and injuries during the incident.

Speaking on Thursday morning after the tragedy, the parent claimed one of the dormitory’s emergency doors remained locked as terrified students struggled to escape the fast-spreading flames.

According to the parent, the dormitory was divided into upper and lower sections, and only one emergency exit was opened during the chaos.

“The matron opened one of the emergency doors to allow students to escape, but another door remained locked,” the parent claimed.

The parent further alleged that after opening one exit, the matron left the dormitory while some students remained trapped inside.

Students housed in the upper section of the dormitory reportedly resorted to jumping from the building to escape the fire, with several sustaining serious injuries in the process.

“Some of the girls jumped to the ground and suffered critical injuries, which is why several are now admitted in hospital,” the parent added.

The emotional parent also faulted the school for allegedly assigning only one matron to the dormitory, arguing that additional staff could have helped open multiple exits simultaneously and possibly reduced the number of casualties.

“I call on the government to ensure dormitories have at least two matrons because if there were two, both emergency doors could have been opened quickly,” the parent stated.

The fire broke out in the early hours of Thursday at the Meline Waithera Block dormitory, which housed 220 students from Grade 10, Form Three, and Form Four classes.

Police have confirmed that 16 students died in the tragedy, while 79 others were rushed to hospital with injuries.

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.

Detectives have detained more than 10 students from Utumishi Girls Academy in Gilgil as investigations intensify into the deadly dormitory fire that killed 16 learners and injured dozens more.

Police suspect the fire, which broke out at around 12:45am on Thursday, May 28, may have been an arson attack targeting the upper floor of one of the school dormitories.

According to investigators, at least 79 students sustained injuries during the incident, although 71 have since been treated and discharged from hospital.

Sources close to the investigation revealed that the detained students spent Thursday night under police watch inside one of the school blocks as detectives questioned them over possible links to the fire.

Authorities have also recalled several students who had left the school with parents and guardians to assist with ongoing investigations.

Detectives are pursuing multiple leads, including allegations by survivors that security lights within the school compound are routinely switched off every night at around 10:10pm.

Investigators are also probing claims that the dormitory may have been locked from the outside during the fire, potentially trapping students inside as the flames spread.

The Directorate of Criminal Investigations is further examining whether pressure related to upcoming examinations scheduled for Tuesday, June 2, could have played a role in the suspected arson.

Meanwhile, government pathologists involved in the probe disclosed that some of the bodies recovered from the burnt dormitory were severely charred, complicating identification efforts.

Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba has ordered the immediate dissolution of the Utumishi Girls Academy Board of Management following the deadly dormitory fire that claimed the lives of 16 students.

Addressing the press on Friday, May 29, Ogamba accused the school administration of gross negligence and failure to comply with safety standards outlined in the School Safety Manual and Basic Education Regulations.

According to the CS, preliminary investigations revealed that the affected dormitory was overcrowded and that one of the emergency exit doors had been locked, contrary to safety requirements.

Ogamba further disclosed that two teachers had received information about a planned unrest involving some Form Three students before the fire but allegedly failed to take preventive action.

“Consequently, the Board of Management of Utumishi Girls Academy has been dissolved for failing to ensure compliance with the School Safety Manual and the Basic Education Regulations,” Ogamba announced.

The CS also directed the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) to begin immediate disciplinary proceedings against the school principal and the two teachers accused of ignoring warnings before the tragedy.

He added that investigations were ongoing to determine whether officers from the Ministry of Education and TSC were also negligent in their duties.

Ogamba confirmed that the fire is now being treated as an arson attack, revealing that eight students have been detained as persons of interest in the ongoing investigation.

“The investigation will ascertain their individual roles in the planning and execution of this heinous act,” he stated.

New allegations have surfaced regarding the tragic fire at Utumishi Girls Academy, with claims that locked emergency exits may have exacerbated the disaster. A parent has alleged that during the chaos, only one emergency door was opened, leaving students trapped inside. This claim adds to growing concerns about the school's safety protocols, particularly as overcrowding in the dormitory has also been cited.

Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba has dissolved the school's Board of Management, citing gross negligence and failure to adhere to safety regulations. Preliminary investigations have revealed that the dormitory was overcrowded, and one emergency exit was reportedly locked, contradicting safety requirements.

Ogamba has also directed the Teachers Service Commission to initiate disciplinary proceedings against the school principal and two teachers who allegedly ignored warnings of potential unrest among students prior to the fire. The fire is now being treated as an arson attack, with eight students detained as persons of interest.

These developments have intensified scrutiny on fire safety standards in Kenyan boarding schools, with calls for urgent reforms to prevent similar tragedies in the future.

DCI says investigations into the Utumishi Girls Senior Secondary School fire in Gilgil have made a major breakthrough.

According to the statement:

16 students died in the fire that happened on Thursday, May 28, 2026. Forensic analysis of CCTV footage allegedly helped investigators identify the students suspected of lighting the fire. Police say seven students participated in the arson before escaping the scene. Out of the eight suspects earlier arrested, six have been positively identified through the footage. The seventh student allegedly involved had earlier been released to her parents and is currently not in custody. Police say efforts are ongoing to trace and arrest her. Post-mortems were conducted at Naivasha Sub-County Referral Hospital Mortuary. The exams found that all 16 students died from severe burns. Families viewed the bodies, and DNA samples were collected because some remains were badly burned. DCI thanked parents, students and the school community for cooperating with investigators. DCI says investigations are ongoing and more updates will follow.