Author name: emre

A devastating fire at Hillside Endarasha Academy, a boarding school in Nyeri, Kenya, claimed the lives of 17 boys in the early hours of Friday. The blaze ripped through a dormitory while the students were sleeping, police confirmed. Local broadcaster Citizen Television reported that the victims were burnt beyond recognition. The incident occurred at the primary school, located roughly 150 kilometers (93 miles) from Nairobi, the Kenyan capital. “We have lost 17 pupils in the fire incident while 14 are injured,” police spokesperson Resila Onyango stated. “Our team is at the scene at the moment.” According to government spokesperson Isaac Mwaura, the boys were in grades 4 to 8, placing their ages between 9 and 13. The dormitory housed 156 students at the time of the fire. The cause of the blaze is still under investigation. Interior Minister Kithure Kindiki visited the school and assured the public of a thorough investigation. “All relevant government agencies have been deployed to seek the truth on what caused the fire leading to the loss and injury of so many young souls,” he said. Kindiki also vowed accountability for those responsible, adding that “the government assures full accountability for all whose action or inaction contributed to this tremendous loss.” His remarks were echoed by President William Ruto, who ordered authorities to fully investigate the “horrific incident” and hold the perpetrators accountable. Authorities have cordoned off the school, and crime scene investigators are working to determine the fire’s cause. Calls made to the school’s main phone line by Reuters went unanswered. Belio Kipsang, Principal Secretary at the Ministry of Education, confirmed the school has 824 students, including 422 girls. Of the girls, 160 are boarders while the rest attend as day scholars. Kenya has experienced similar tragedies in the past, many of which were later attributed to arson. In 2017, nine students died in a fire at a Nairobi school, and a 2001 dormitory fire at Kyanguli Secondary School outside Nairobi killed 58 boys. Another incident in 2012 saw eight students lose their lives in Homa Bay County. The government has pledged to find the truth behind this latest tragedy and prevent future occurrences.