Kenyan Police Arrest Eight Students After School Fire Kills 16

Kenyan police arrested eight female students on suspicion of arson after a fire destroyed a dormitory at Utumishi Girls School in the Gilgil area of central Kenya. The blaze broke out early Thursday morning and killed 16 children while injuring 79 others, according to the Directorate of Criminal Investigations.

Police questioned 30 students throughout Thursday and detained the eight girls for allegedly planning and carrying out the suspected arson attack. DCI spokesperson John Marete said investigators conducted extensive interviews with students, teaching staff and other witnesses while forensic teams reviewed available CCTV footage.

The motive has not been established. Marete stated that detectives continue to record statements and analyze evidence to reconstruct the sequence of events.

Ogamba announced Friday that the school’s board of management had been dissolved and the principal would face disciplinary action. He cited congestion in the dormitory and one exit door that was locked, both violations of required safety standards. Two teachers who were aware of planned unrest that may have led to the arson will also face disciplinary action.

Parents remained at the school on Friday morning with little information about when the remaining students would be released.

“We have not even been told about the eight that police have arrested. ”

The bodies of the 16 students were taken to a government hospital morgue on Thursday and are undergoing DNA testing to confirm identities. Fires at schools have been a recurring concern in East Africa, where classrooms and dormitories are often crowded and firefighting equipment is frequently absent.