A fireplace broke out in a dormitory at a boarding faculty in central Kenya late Thursday, killing not less than 17 college students, police stated.
There are fears the loss of life toll could rise as greater than a dozen folks have been taken to hospital with extreme burns.
The reason for the hearth at Hillside Endarasha Academy in Nyeri County is but to be decided.
President William Ruto referred to as the hearth “horrendous” and “devastating” and ordered an investigation.
“These accountable shall be held accountable,” Ruto wrote on social media.
Police stated a crew of investigators was dispatched to the college.
Police chief Pius Murugu stated greater than 150 college students have been contained in the dormitory when the hearth broke out round midnight native time.
In keeping with a reporter from Citizen TV, since many of the faculty buildings are picket constructions, the hearth unfold in a short time.
The our bodies discovered have been “burnt past recognition,” police spokesperson Resila Onyango advised AFP.
“As soon as the scene is absolutely processed, extra our bodies could also be found,” she added.
The Kenya Crimson Cross stated Present trauma counseling Providers have been supplied to college students, lecturers and affected households, and a tracing desk was arrange on the faculty.
Hillside Endarasha Academy is a non-public main faculty with greater than 800 college students, largely aged 5 to 12, positioned close to the city of Nyeri – 150 kilometers (93 miles) north of the capital Nairobi.
College fires are comparatively widespread in Kenyan boarding faculties.
In 2017, an arson assault occurred at Moi Women’ Excessive College within the capital Nairobi, killing 10 college students.
Kenya’s worst faculty arson incident greater than 20 years in the past occurred in Machakos County, southeast of Nairobi, killing not less than 67 college students.
