Kenya: Dormitory Fire Claims at Least 17 Student Lives
At least 17 children have died and 13 others have been seriously burned after a fire ripped through the dormitory of a boarding school, Hillside Endarasha Primary, in the Kenyan county of Nyeri Thursday night. The death toll could potentially rise according to officials....
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Facts
- At least 17 children have died and 13 others have been seriously burned after a fire ripped through the dormitory of a boarding school, Hillside Endarasha Primary, in the Kenyan county of Nyeri Thursday night. The death toll could potentially rise according to officials.[1][2]
- According to a government official, the victims of the fire were boys between the ages of nine and 13. The children were sleeping when their dorm was engulfed in flames, burning their bodies beyond recognition.[3]
- The dormitory housed 152 students, and police said the death toll could rise. The cause of the fire is unknown at this time.[4]
- The Kenyan Red Cross is assisting a multi-agency response team at the school and 'providing psychosocial support services to the pupils, teachers and affected families.'[5]
- Kenyan Pres. William Ruto has ordered an investigation into the incident. Government resources, including forensics experts, have been deployed to probe the blaze.[2][6]
- School fires are common in Kenyan boarding schools. Nine students were killed after a fire engulfed a school in Nairobi in 2017, which the government attributed to arson.[7]
Sources: [1]Africanews, [2]Al Jazeera, [3]Reuters, [4]Washington Post, [5]CBS, [6]BBC News and [7]CNN.
Narratives
- Narrative A, as provided by Washington Post and New York Times. Another boarding school, another blaze, and another loss of innocent lives — Kenya has suffered yet another fatal school fire. The country's education system isn't designed to handle school fires, many of which have turned out to be arson, allegedly fueled by drug abuse, overcrowding, and living conditions. It's urgent to bring attention to the lack of safety standards in Kenyan boarding schools.
- Narrative B, as provided by NPR Online News and The East African. Though the cause of the fire remains unknown, those responsible will be held accountable. Additionally, the government will review the security management of all boarding schools and ask school administrators to follow safety guidelines recommended by the education ministry. While this tragic incident is being thoroughly investigated, health agencies have been mobilizing to support parents and the school community.
