Kenya arrests 8 students for suspected arson over school fire that killed 16

Kenya’s Directorate of Criminal Investigations said on Friday that it had arrested eight students over a fire at Utumishi Girls Senior Secondary School in Gilgil that killed 16 students.

The fire at the school in west-central Kenya broke out in the early hours of Thursday and also injured 79 students.

“Preliminary investigations have identified eight students as persons of interest in connection with the planning and execution of the suspected arson attack,” the Directorate of Criminal Investigations said in a statement.

“The eight girls have since been arrested and are currently in police custody.”

Investigators have conducted extensive interviews with students and teaching staff, and reviewed CCTV footage and other forensic evidence to determine the cause of the fire, which remains unknown.

In a statement, Cabinet Secretary for Education Julius Ogamba said preliminary investigations found that two teachers at the secondary school had been informed of the students’ alleged plans but failed to act to stop them.

The school also failed to observe safety regulations, he said, pointing to overcrowding in the dormitories and an emergency exit that was locked during the fire.

The government has since disbanded the school’s board of management and will take appropriate legal and disciplinary action against any staff found to have neglected their duties, he added.

Fires are common at Kenyan schools, with many reportedly set by students protesting harsh discipline and poor living conditions, researchers have found.

(With input from wires)