On the morning of Friday, September 6, the nation awoke to the tragic news of a school fire in Nyeri County that claimed the lives of 17 students.
Reports indicate that a fire destroyed a dormitory at Hillside Endarasha Academy on Thursday night, leaving 16 students burned beyond recognition. Tragically, one student succumbed to their injuries, while 14 others remain in critical condition.
The fatal fire incident has resurfaced painful memories for Kenyans, reminding them of past tragedies that resulted in the loss of young lives at various academic institutions.
Here are some school fires that remained etched forever in Kenya’s history:
The fire tragedy at Kyanguli Secondary School in 2001
The Kyanguli fire tragedy is considered the worst school fire in Kenya’s history, claiming 67 lives at the Machakos-based institution. The blaze injured 21 boys, while 70 students survived the inferno that destroyed a dormitory housing 200 students.
The fire was an act of arson, believed to have been orchestrated by two 16-year-old students who were disgruntled over the transfer of their new principal.
The arsonists doused the iron-roofed dormitory with petrol in the dead of night and set it ablaze, engulfing the building in a fierce fire. The dormitory housed students aged between 15 and 19.
Some survivors reported heightened tension before the fire, with students angered by the school’s demands for fee arrears and the cancellation of the previous year’s KCSE results by the examination council due to alleged cheating. Some learners blamed the school administration for these issues, while others pointed to a strained student-teacher relationship, fueled by claims of heavy-handedness and corporal punishment.
Bombolulu Girls Secondary School fire – 1998
Following a fire that ravaged a dormitory at Bombolulu Girls’ Secondary School, twenty-six girls tragically lost their lives in the blaze.
Reports reveal that all the students who perished were in an overcrowded dormitory housing approximately 130 students. One of the two doors was locked from the outside, and all ten windows were barred, severely limiting the girls’ escape.
Additionally, the absence of fire extinguishers exacerbated the situation. Some girls were reportedly killed in a stampede as they tried to escape through the two narrow doors. The cause of the fire was never determined.
The school was renamed Mazeras Memorial Girl’s School.
Nyeri High School tragedy – 1999
In 1999, an arson attack at Nyeri High School resulted in the deaths of four school prefects.
Students trapped the four head prefects in the main cubicle of the boys’ dormitory as they slept, then drenched it in petrol and ignited it.
It later emerged that some students, who had been suspended the previous term, had sneaked back into the school with the intention of exacting revenge on those they blamed for their disciplinary action.
Asumbi Girls Boarding Primary School- 2012
In August 2012, a fire engulfed the dormitory at Asumbi Girls’ Boarding Primary School in Homa Bay County, resulting in the tragic deaths of eight pupils.
The young girls were burned beyond recognition in the fire, which is believed to have been caused by an electrical fault.
Upon inspecting the dormitory, it was found that the windows were barred with wire mesh and there was no emergency exit. Additionally, the dormitory was locked from the outside, making it difficult for the pupils to escape or receive immediate assistance.
Moi Girls High School Nairobi fire in 2017
On September 1, 2017, a fire ravaged the Kabarnet dormitory at Moi Girls High School, resulting in the deaths of 10 students.
The girls, who had just returned to school, perished in an arson attack carried out by a student allegedly disgruntled with her enrollment at the school and seeking to send a message to her parents.
Witnesses reported that on the night of the fire, the accused prayed before going to bed, asking God for forgiveness for the actions she planned to take.
The student, who was 14 years old at the time, was found guilty of manslaughter and sentenced to five years in prison.
The incident shocked the nation and sparked widespread concerns about the safety of students in boarding schools.
