Lilian Nyiva
Eight Students Arrested Over Utumishi Girls’ Fire Tragedy as DCI Intensifies Investigations
Eight students have been arrested in connection with the deadly fire that gutted a dormitory at Utumishi Girls Senior Secondary School in Gilgil, Nakuru County, as detectives intensify investigations into one of the country’s deadliest school tragedies in recent years.
Report
The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) confirmed that the students were taken into custody after preliminary investigations linked them to the fire that claimed the lives of 16 learners and left dozens injured. Authorities say forensic examinations, witness statements and CCTV footage are now central to the ongoing probe.
The fire broke out in the early hours of Thursday in one of the school dormitories while students were asleep. Reports indicate that the blaze spread rapidly, trapping several learners inside the building. Survivors recounted scenes of panic as students scrambled to escape through windows and exits amid thick smoke and flames.
Investigators are treating the incident as a suspected case of arson. According to preliminary findings by detectives, the fire may have started near the main entrance of the dormitory before quickly engulfing the building. Authorities are also examining claims that an emergency exit door was locked during the incident, potentially hindering escape efforts for the students trapped inside.
The DCI has already questioned more than 20 students, members of the school administration, security guards and other staff as part of the investigations. Detectives from the homicide unit, crime scene experts and officers from the Government Chemist have been deployed to the scene to gather forensic evidence and determine the exact cause of the inferno.
Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen assured the public that the government would conduct a thorough and transparent investigation into the tragedy. He said all relevant agencies had been mobilised to support affected families and establish what led to the deadly fire.
The tragedy has plunged the nation into mourning, with grieving parents flocking to the school and hospitals seeking information about their children. Most of the victims were reportedly daughters of police officers, as the institution is associated with the National Police Service.
Authorities have also initiated DNA identification procedures for some of the victims who were burnt beyond recognition. Meanwhile, counselling and psychosocial support services are being offered to survivors and affected families through the Kenya Red Cross and other government agencies.
The Utumishi Girls tragedy has once again raised concerns about safety standards, disaster preparedness and emergency response systems in Kenyan boarding schools, amid a history of deadly school fires reported across the country over the years.
