At least 16 students have died after a fire tore through a dormitory at Utumishi Girls Academy in Gilgil, Nakuru County, Kenya, during the night, according to Kenyan authorities and emergency responders.
Kenyan media quoted Rift Valley Regional Police Commander Samuel Ndanyi confirming the deaths following the overnight blaze.
Authorities have not yet released the exact number of injured students, though emergency teams say dozens were affected as rescue and evacuation efforts continued into Thursday morning.
The Kenya Red Cross Society said the fire was reported at around 3 a.m., prompting a major emergency response operation involving multiple agencies.
In an update shared several hours after the incident, the organization confirmed that several students had been evacuated from the school and were receiving treatment in different hospitals across Nakuru County.
“A multi-agency response involving the County Fire Brigade, County Disaster Response Teams, Police, and Kenya Red Cross remains ongoing,” the organization said.
In its latest update issued shortly afterward, the Kenya Red Cross said at least 132 students had been affected by the incident.
The humanitarian agency added that emergency teams were continuing to support students and families through psychosocial assistance and tracing services as rescue operations remained active.
Videos and images circulating on Kenyan social media showed damaged sections of the dormitory building, with emergency workers, police officers, and residents gathered near the scene throughout the morning.
Authorities said investigations had already started, although the exact cause of the fire had not yet been established.
The tragedy has once again raised concerns over dormitory safety, emergency exits, and fire preparedness in boarding schools across Kenya.
The country has experienced several deadly school fires over the years, with previous investigations sometimes linking such incidents to electrical faults, overcrowding, and weak safety infrastructure.
Officials are expected to release additional updates as investigations and emergency response efforts continue.
