The death toll from a catastrophic fire at a primary school dormitory in a semi-rural area of central Kenya has risen to 21 children, according to the government's announcement on Saturday.
"The investigations into the confirmed fatalities have been completed, and we regret to inform that 19 bodies have been retrieved from the scene," government spokesperson Isaac Mwaura informed reporters, noting that two additional children had succumbed in the hospital.
President William Ruto, on Friday, directed authorities to investigate the incident and ensure accountability for those responsible. The fire was so intense that it charred the students beyond recognition, as reported by Citizen Television on the same day.
"I direct the relevant authorities to conduct a thorough investigation into this tragic event. Those accountable will be held responsible," Ruto stated in a post on his X account.
The school has been cordoned off, according to Kenya Red Cross, which also mentioned the incident on X.
In recent years, Kenya has witnessed a series of school fires, many of which have been classified as arson. In September 2017, nine students were killed in a fire at a school in Nairobi, an incident the government attributed to arson. Additionally, in 2001, 58 schoolboys perished in a dormitory fire at Kyanguli Secondary School outside Nairobi. In 2012, eight students were killed in a fire at a school in Homa Bay County in western Kenya.
