A dormitory fire at Utumishi Girls Academy in the Gilgil area of Nakuru, central Kenya, has killed at least 10 students. Police said search teams have been deployed to the boarding school to account for all students.
The fire broke out early in the morning around 1 a.m. in the school's accommodation section. Firefighters and police officers worked to control the blaze and evacuate other students. County police official Masoud Mwinyi described the situation as distressing and saddening while speaking to distraught parents outside the school.
The cause of the fire has not yet been established. School fires are common in Kenyan boarding schools, with some caused by arson and others by electrical faults. In 2024, a fire at a primary boarding school in nearby Nyeri county killed 21 students.