Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has mourned the victims of the deadly fire tragedy at Utumishi Girls Academy in Gilgil, Nakuru County, describing the incident as painful and unfortunate.
In a statement on Thursday, Mr Gachagua said the early morning fire incident had left several students dead and others injured, plunging the nation into grief.
“I have learnt of the fire tragedy at Utumishi Girls Academy in Gilgil, Nakuru County with great pain. It is unfortunate that the early morning fire incident has left scores of our young girls dead and several injured,” he said.
The fire is reported to have broken out in one of the school dormitories in the early hours of the morning when students were asleep. Witnesses said panic and confusion engulfed the school compound as learners rushed to escape from the burning building while teachers and emergency responders attempted rescue operations.
Several students sustained burn injuries and were rushed to nearby hospitals in Gilgil and Nakuru for treatment as firefighters battled the flames. Rescue teams and police officers spent hours at the scene assessing the damage and accounting for students.
The tragedy has once again exposed concerns over safety preparedness in boarding schools, with parents and education stakeholders questioning whether schools are adequately equipped to handle emergencies such as fires. Concerns have also been raised over the availability of fire exits, firefighting equipment and emergency response drills in schools.
Authorities are expected to investigate the exact cause of the inferno, including whether an electrical fault, negligence or other factors may have triggered the blaze. Detectives and fire experts have already begun collecting evidence from the affected dormitory as part of ongoing investigations.
The former Deputy President conveyed his sympathies to the families that lost their daughters in the tragedy and wished the injured students quick recovery.
“I pass my deepest sympathies to the parents and families who have lost their young promising daughters of our great nation,” he said. “To the injured students in hospitals, I wish you quick recovery.”
He also comforted students and parents affected by the incident, saying the tragedy should never have occurred in modern-day Kenya.
“This tragedy remains an unfortunate event that should never have occurred in our modern day Kenya,” Mr Gachagua said.
He called for speedy investigations into the cause of the inferno and demanded accountability for any lapses that may have contributed to the disaster.
“I urge speedy investigations into this matter and those culpable of commission or omission must face the full force of law,” he added.
Mr Gachagua further challenged the government and institutions to strengthen disaster preparedness measures in schools and public facilities across the country.
“As a nation, disaster preparedness and planning must be taken as an integral part of every government planning and not a knee-jerk reaction when disasters occur,” he said.
The incident has revived painful memories of previous school fire tragedies in Kenya, among them the 2001 Kyanguli Secondary School fire in Machakos that claimed the lives of 67 boys and the 2017 Moi Girls School fire in Nairobi that left 10 students dead. The disasters prompted calls for stricter enforcement of safety standards in learning institutions.
Education stakeholders have in the past called for regular safety audits, installation of firefighting equipment, improved dormitory designs and proper emergency response training in schools to prevent similar tragedies.
Police and emergency response teams are expected to continue investigations into the cause of the fire as the country mourns the young lives lost.
