Kenya School Hostel Fire (symbolic picture)
Nairobi: 17 students died and 13 others were seriously burnt in a fire in a school hostel in Kenya. Police gave information about this on Friday. Police have feared that the death toll may increase. Police spokesperson Rasila Onyango said that the fire broke out at Hillside Andarasha Primary in Nyeri County on Thursday night and efforts are being made to find out what caused the fire. Onyango said, “We are trying to find out the reasons and will take necessary action.”
fast spreading fire
Nyeri County Commissioner Pius Murugu and the Ministry of Education said more than 150 students lived in the dormitory where the fire broke out. Since the buildings are made mainly of wooden planks, the fire spread very quickly. A total of 824 students study at this school, located 200 kilometers (125 miles) north of the capital Nairobi in the central hilly region of the country. Wooden structures are common in Nairobi. The country’s President William Ruto described the news as “horrific”. He wrote on the social media platform ‘X’, “I instruct the relevant authorities to thoroughly investigate this terrible incident. Those responsible will be held accountable.”
Incidents have already happened
Kenya’s Vice President Rigathi Gachagua urged school administrators to ensure that safety guidelines recommended by the Ministry of Education for residential schools are followed. According to a recent report by the Ministry of Education, fires are common in Kenyan residential schools. These fires are often caused by drug use and overcrowding. A large number of students stay in these schools because parents believe that living in them saves their children time wasted commuting and they get more time for studies. In 2017, 10 students died when students set fire to a school in the capital Nairobi. The deadliest school fire incident occurred in 2001 when 67 students died in a fire at a dormitory in Machakos County.
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