Kenyan School Fire Claims Lives of 18 Students, Leaving 70 Unaccounted For

In the hills of Nyeri County, Kenya, a tragedy has unfolded, one that grips the heart with both fire and absence. A dormitory at Hillside Endarasha Primary School went up in flames, leaving behind a scar that has taken the lives of 18 students, while 27 others lie in hospital beds, and, perhaps most painfully, 70 children remain unaccounted for. As Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua stood before the grief-stricken community, he urged families and neighbors to come forward if they had sheltered any of the children, as if, somewhere amid the chaos, there might still be a sliver of hope.

At least 18 students were killed in a fire that burnt a dormitory at Hillside Endarasha Primary School in Nyeri in central Kenya on Friday. A multi-agency response team has been deployed to the school, and the Kenya Red Cross is providing psychosocial support services to… pic.twitter.com/Mtzv5HqDbH

— CGTN Africa (@cgtnafrica) September 6, 2024

This isn’t a story that ends cleanly with facts. The fire erupted on Thursday night, a devouring force that leaped through the wooden planks of the dormitory as if to lay claim to every last bit of warmth, safety, and innocence. Investigations into its cause have begun, but explanations feel small in the face of the devastation. The school, serving over 800 students, had more than 150 boys packed into that single dorm—boys between the fragile ages of 10 and 14. Wooden structures, common in this part of Kenya’s central highlands, turn small sparks into unmanageable blazes, and the result this time was horrific.

It is here, in the mix of sorrow and disbelief, that the weight of uncertainty presses hardest. Only 86 children have been accounted for so far. The rest? Lost somewhere in the tangled remains of that night, or perhaps huddled in the homes of strangers, safe but silent. The air in Nyeri is thick with the absence of answers, as parents hover at the school, faces hollow with grief.

John Rukwaro is one of those parents—he’s spent hours searching for his 11-year-old grandson. He has checked the hospitals, spoken with anyone who might have news, but nothing. His hope, like the fire, is slowly being extinguished, though he holds on with the trembling grip of a man who can’t afford to let go.

18 dead in school fire

18 pupils killed at Hillside Endarasha academy in Nyeri
27 pupils rescued and rushed to various hospitals

DP Gachagua says 70 pupils remain unaccounted for
Police say ill-fated dormitory housed 156 pupils #CitizenFridayNight @lillian_muli pic.twitter.com/72IXUC73mp

— Citizen TV Kenya (@citizentvkenya) September 6, 2024

Rescue efforts, delayed by the muddy roads slick with rain, struggled to keep pace with the fire’s wrath. Governor Mutahi Kahiga, shaking his head in frustration, spoke of the cruel irony that the rains—so often a blessing in these highlands—had become an obstacle to saving lives. As the flames receded, they left behind not just ashes and debris, but questions. Had the school followed the safety guidelines set out by the government? Were the dorms equipped with proper exits and fire alarms? The answers are uncertain, just like the fate of so many still missing.

School fires in Kenya are not rare. Overcrowding, arson, negligence—there are many culprits. Students, desperate for change or overwhelmed by the pressures of boarding school life, have sometimes set fires themselves, a dramatic cry against the conditions they face. In 2017, 10 students were killed in a fire at a Nairobi school, a tragedy ignited by one of their own. And we cannot forget the horror of 2001, when 67 students perished in Machakos, trapped by the very walls meant to protect them.

In this latest fire, the guidelines meant to protect students appear to have been another casualty. Dormitories are supposed to be spacious, with emergency exits and windows free of barriers, giving children a fighting chance to escape. But those rules are little comfort now, as the area around the Hillside dormitory remains cordoned off, shrouded in both smoke and silence.

Parents at Hillside Endarasha Academy overcome with emotion after being allowed to view dormitory which went up in flames last night resulting in death of 18 pupils even as 70 more are reported to be missing. The dormitory was housing all 156 boys who were boarding in the school. pic.twitter.com/FA85qtrE5y

— David Maina Ndung’u (@DNdunguMaina) September 6, 2024

President William Ruto, grappling with the weight of this disaster, called the fire “devastating,” and vowed that the investigation would be thorough. “Those responsible will be held to account,” he promised. Yet, accountability, like answers, seems elusive in moments like these.

The fire at Hillside is more than a disaster—it’s a reminder of fragility, a sharp edge in the narrative of a country where safety is often an afterthought. As parents wait for word, as children are counted and uncounted, this small town on the highlands waits with them, suspended between what has been lost and what remains unknown. And in that waiting, there is only the echo of what should have been and what might yet be found.

Major Points

• A fire at Hillside Endarasha Primary School in Nyeri County, Kenya, killed 18 students and hospitalized 27 others.
• With 70 children still missing, families search for hope, as some may be sheltered by neighbors amid the chaos.
• Overcrowded dormitories and wooden structures fueled the deadly blaze, with more than 150 boys inside at the time.
• The muddy roads delayed rescue efforts, adding to the devastation in the grief-stricken community.
• Investigations begin as President Ruto vows accountability, though questions about safety standards remain unanswered.

James Kravitz – Reprinted with permission of Whatfinger News