Kenya: 17 Children Dead, 70 Missing As Fire Engulfs School Dormitory. President Orders Probe

The children were sleeping in dormitories when the fire broke out, and some escaped through windows. The government has ordered an investigation and promised to hold those responsible accountable.

The fire at Hillside Endarasha Academy in Nyeri County of Kenya broke out around midnight, engulfing dormitories where over 150 children were sleeping. During the incident, at least 17 young children were killed and 70 missing after a fire ripped through the dormitory of the primary school.

Police reported that the average age of the victims was about nine years old. "We still have 70 kids that are unaccounted -- that does not mean they are perished or they are injured... the word is that they are unaccounted for," Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua told news agency AFP.

He also mentioned that 27 children were in the hospital. Earlier, police had confirmed that 17 children had died, but Gachagua noted that the exact number of deaths was still unverified.

As families gathered at the school gates anxiously awaiting news, many broke down in tears upon seeing bodies. "We parents are in panic mode," stated Timothy Kinuthia, who had been searching for his 13-year-old son. "We've been here since 5:00 am, and we've been told nothing."

The cause of the fire is still unknown, but Kenya's National Gender and Equality Commission indicated initial reports suggested the dormitory was "overcrowded, violating safety standards," and called for an immediate investigation.

More Bodies Likely To Be Recovered: Police On Kenya School Fire

The school, which reportedly served around 800 children, is located in a semi-rural area about 170 kilometres (100 miles) north of Nairobi.

"The bodies recovered at the scene were burnt beyond recognition," national police spokesperson Resila Onyango told AFP, adding that, "More bodies are likely to be recovered once (the) scene is fully processed."

Kenyan Interior Minister Kithure Kindiki, said while speaking at the site that some children had found refuge in nearby homes. "There are children who are alive but traumatised, in the care of those who sheltered them last night," he highlighted, adding that authorities were still in the process of finding the information.

Kenyan President William Ruto, currently in Beijing for a China-Africa summit, expressed his condolences on X, saying, "Our thoughts are with the families of the children who have lost their lives in this fire tragedy." He ordered officials to "thoroughly investigate this horrific incident" and promised that those responsible would be "held accountable."

Elisabeth Nyambura who is 35 years old, said her 13-year-old son had been found and taken home, while she continued searching for one of his classmates. "He just told me he saw smoke, and they escaped through a window. I am just thankful he is alive," she shared.