Death Toll in Central Kenya School Fire Incident Hits 21

The tragic fire at Hillside Endarasha Primary School in central Kenya has claimed the lives of 21 children, according to a government spokesperson. Officials are working to account for dozens of boys who remain missing. The fire, which occurred on Thursday night, destroyed a dormitory housing 156 boys aged between 10 and 14.

Government spokesperson Isaac Mwaura has urged the public to be patient as agencies continue their investigation. "These figures are still preliminary because the process is ongoing... it's a DNA process that will take a number of days," he said. Some children were burned beyond recognition, making identification challenging.

Government Response and Investigation

Kenya's President William Ruto declared three days of mourning on Friday. Police are still investigating the cause of the fire. The government has called on school administrators to enforce boarding guidelines, ensuring dormitories are spacious with three doors and no grills on windows for easy escape during emergencies.

Journalists were asked to wait outside the school compound as officials, including a government pathologist and morticians from Nyeri provincial hospital, set up tables outside the dormitory on Saturday. More than 100 boys have been accounted for so far, and the government is urging parents and nearby residents to help locate all the boys.

Parental Concerns and Historical Context

Anxious parents waited all day for news about their children and were allowed to see what remained of the dormitory on Friday evening. Some parents broke down as they left the scene. School fires are common in Kenyan boarding schools, often caused by arson linked to drug abuse and overcrowding, according to a recent education ministry report.

In some cases, fires have been started by students protesting against workload or living conditions. In 2017, a school fire in Nairobi started by a student resulted in the deaths of 10 high school students. Kenya's deadliest school fire occurred in 2001 when 67 students died in a dormitory fire in Machakos county.

The government is urging parents and people living near the privately-owned school to assist in accounting for all the boys. The Thursday night fire razed down a dormitory that was housing 156 boys aged between 10 and 14. More than 100 boys have been accounted for so far.

As officials began removing bodies from the scene, they tried to account for dozens of boys who were still missing. The team included government pathologists and morticians from Nyeri provincial hospital.

The government has emphasized the importance of adhering to boarding guidelines that require dormitories to be spacious with three doors and no grills on windows for easy escape during fires. This measure aims to prevent future tragedies.

The investigation into the cause of the fire is ongoing, with authorities working diligently to determine what led to this devastating incident. The community remains in mourning as they await further updates from officials.