A somber mood has enveloped the community around Hillside Endarasha Academy as the search and identification of deceased students persist.
Despite ongoing efforts by the government and humanitarian agencies, Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has disclosed that 70 students remain unaccounted for after a catastrophic fire.
The blaze, which tore through the school's dormitory in Nyeri, Central Kenya, has left families and authorities desperately seeking answers.
We still cannot account for 70 pupils,” Gachagua stated, emphasising that this figure did not represent casualties but children who may have been taken home by parents or those still lost in the chaos.
He urged parents and local residents to report any children who were taken from the scene during the confusion. “I am appealing to each and every parent who took their child to report to us so that we know where those children are,” he added.
The fire, which broke out in the early hours of Friday, claimed the lives of 17 boys.
Deputy President Gachagua confirmed that one student succumbed to injuries in hospital, increasing the death toll to 18.
The academy, a boarding school for young boys and girls, housed 311 boarding students at the time of the fire. Of these, 156 were boys, all of whom were inside the dormitory when the fire broke out.
According to Gachagua, the government can account for 86 students, with 27 pupils currently hospitalised with injuries, and 37 others have been located with their parents.
Despite this, the whereabouts of the remaining 70 students remains unknown, leaving families desperate for news.
As the nation reels from this tragedy, government spokesperson Isaac Mwaura confirmed that a multi-agency investigation has been launched. "We are working with the Ministry of Education, Interior, and security agencies to determine the cause of this fire," Mwaura stated. He assured the public that the government would leave no stone unturned in establishing what led to the disaster.
Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki visited the site and pledged accountability for anyone found responsible. "The government assures full accountability for all whose action or inaction contributed to this tremendous loss," he asserted.
Kindiki also urged any local residents who may have taken in children to return them to the school so they could receive medical care and counselling. "Many children managed to jump out and get to safety, but we do not know how many were successful," he remarked.
