By Mumo Judah
May 28, 2026 | Gilgil
Kenya has once again been thrown into mourning after a devastating overnight fire ripped through a dormitory at Utumishi Girls Academy, leaving several students dead and dozens injured in one of the country’s latest school tragedies.
The deadly inferno broke out in the early hours of Thursday morning while students were asleep inside the dormitory, triggering panic, screams and desperate rescue efforts as flames rapidly engulfed part of the school compound.
Initial reports indicated that at least 10 students had died in the tragedy, but later updates from authorities revealed the death toll had risen to 15, with more than 70 others reportedly hospitalized with varying injuries.
According to emergency responders, the fire is believed to have started at around 1:00 a.m., although the incident was officially reported at approximately 3:30 a.m., prompting a massive emergency response involving firefighters, police officers, medics and rescue teams.
Scenes of heartbreak and confusion quickly unfolded outside the school as terrified parents rushed to the institution seeking information about their children while security officers restricted access to allow rescue and identification operations to continue.
Emergency teams, including the Kenya Red Cross, deployed ambulances, first responders and psychosocial support teams to assist injured students, traumatized parents and teachers overwhelmed by the scale of the disaster.
Authorities have since launched investigations into the cause of the fire, with detectives and forensic teams combing through the burnt dormitory as questions emerge over school safety standards, emergency preparedness and dormitory conditions in boarding institutions across the country.
The tragedy has already sparked nationwide grief and renewed debate over recurring school fires in Kenya, many of which have historically been linked to electrical faults, negligence or suspected arson incidents.
Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka was among the first national leaders to react, calling for urgent reforms in school safety and demanding that national leaders move beyond condolences and implement practical measures to protect learners.
Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen and DCI Director Mohamed Amin later arrived at the school as investigations and rescue operations intensified.
The tragedy has revived painful memories of previous deadly school fires that have claimed the lives of students in different parts of the country over the years, raising fresh concerns about whether enough has been done to guarantee the safety of learners in boarding schools.
As rescue operations and identification efforts continue at the school in Gilgil, the country remains gripped by grief, with anxious families still waiting for answers following the horrifying overnight disaster that has shaken the nation.
