Parents and guardians gather at Utumishi Girls Academy in the aftermath of the fatal fire in Nakuru, situated north of Nairobi, the Kenyan capital, on May 28, 2026.Simon Maina/AFP via Getty Images
LONDON — At least 16 pupils have died in an overnight blaze at a female boarding school in central Kenya, a government representative announced on Thursday.
Education Minister Julius Ogamba stated in a communication released on X that a "lamentable fire calamity has struck Utumishi Girls Academy in Nakuru County. Tragically, 16 students perished, and several others sustained injuries in the occurrence."
The Kenya Police Service conveyed through a declaration published on Facebook that "numerous other students were harmed and are undergoing medical care."
The fire erupted in a residence hall at the Utumishi Girls Senior School, located in the town of Gilgil within Kenya's Nakuru County, authorities reported, approximately 74 miles distant from the capital city, Nairobi.
Parents and guardians gather at Utumishi Girls Academy in the aftermath of the fatal fire in Nakuru, situated north of Nairobi, the Kenyan capital, on May 28, 2026.Simon Maina/AFP via Getty Images
Ongoing are search and recovery endeavors, according to the police. "We are striving to ensure the accounting of all pupils and to offer support to affected families during this trying period," the service communicated in their announcement.
The fire was communicated early Thursday at around 3:30 a.m. local time, as per the Kenya Red Cross, noting that their personnel were assisting with the present multi-agency response. "Various students have been taken to safety and are being treated at several medical facilities," the Kenya Red Cross indicated.
Ogamba voiced "our deepest sympathies to the families, friends, and kin of the students who lost their lives in this grievous event. We hope for a speedy convalescence for those who suffered injuries. We implore that God bestows strength and courage upon everyone during this difficult and agonizing time."
"Inquiries into the origin of the blaze are in progress, and updates shall be furnished in due course," the minister appended.
ABC News' Charlotte Gardiner lent assistance to this dispatch.
Sourse: abcnews.go.com