Official in Kenya says 16 students died in an overnight fire at a girls’ school

The fire started in the dormitories of the boarding school, known as Utumishi Girls School, in the Gilgil area. The school has more than 800 students. The cause has not been established.

School fires are common in Kenyan boarding schools, with some caused by arson and others by electrical faults.

THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. AP’s earlier story follows below.

GILGIL, Kenya (AP) — A fire at a school for girls in central Kenya early Thursday caused deaths and injuries, and police said search teams were working to account for everyone.

Police said they were leading rescue and emergency response efforts at the Utumishi Girls School in the Gilgil area, about 120 kilometers (74 miles) from the capital, Nairobi.

There was no firm word on the number of casualties. An internal incident report estimated at least 15 fatalities and others were rushed to medical facilities with injuries.

The fire broke started in the dormitories of the boarding school. The cause has not yet been established.

School fires are common in Kenyan boarding schools, with some caused by arson and others by electrical faults.

Kenya’s deadliest school fire in recent history occurred in 2001 when 67 students died in a dormitory fire in Machakos County.

In 2024, 21 students burned to death in a school fire in central Kenya. President William Ruto declared three days of mourning.

In 2017, 10 students died in a school fire in Nairobi. A student was charged with murder.