News Screen – Kenyan police arrested eight female students in connection with the alleged arson of the dormitory at Utumishi Girls Academy, Nakuru County, which killed 16 students and injured 79 others.
The tragic incident occurred in the early hours of Thursday at a girls’ school located about 120 kilometers north of the capital Nairobi. The fire broke out on the top floor of the two-story dormitory and caused extensive damage to the building.
Kenya’s Directorate of Criminal Investigation said eight students were suspected of being involved in planning and carrying out the arson.
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“Initial investigations identified eight students as suspects in connection with the alleged arson attack,” said an official statement from the Kenyan police, Friday, May 30, 2026.
Police officers and forensic teams are still investigating the exact cause of the fire by examining CCTV footage, interviewing teachers and students, and collecting evidence at the scene.
The dormitory that burned was known to have 12 rooms with 135 bunk beds and was designed to accommodate around 270 students. However, until now it has not been confirmed how many students were in the dormitory when the fire occurred.
The bodies of the victims have been evacuated to the morgue for the identification process. Meanwhile, dozens of students who were injured are still undergoing medical treatment.
Kenyan Education Minister Julius Migos Ogamba said the results of an initial investigation found violations of safety standards at the school.
According to him, the dormitory had excess capacity and one of the emergency doors was locked when the fire occurred. “The school did not comply with applicable safety requirements,” Ogamba said.
The Kenyan government also dissolved the school’s governing board and initiated disciplinary proceedings against the principal and a number of teaching staff who were deemed negligent. Two teachers were said to have received information about potential riots from a number of students before the fire broke out, but did not take adequate preventative steps.
This tragedy has once again raised concerns about the safety of boarding schools in Kenya. In recent years, the country has experienced several school fires which claimed many lives.
The Kenyan government previously admitted that it had closed around 350 schools since 2024 because they did not meet educational safety standards.***
