Fire at Kenyan Girls' School Leaves 16 Dead, 79 Hospitalized

A fire broke out in the early hours of the 28th at a girls' boarding school in Kenya, killing 16 students and sending 79 others to the hospital. The incident occurred at the Utumishi Girls Academy in Nakuru County, about 120 kilometers north of Nairobi. Education Minister Julius Migos Ogamba confirmed the death toll, calling it a tragic event. Reporters at the scene observed shattered windows, charred walls, and twisted metal roofing. The school is associated with the National Police Service, and many students are children of police officers. A firefighter noted that the fire was intense due to the large number of mattresses, taking 45 minutes to extinguish. Boarding schools are common in Kenya, and the country has experienced several serious campus fires in the past.