Eight Students Arrested Over Utumishi Fire That Killed 16 Learners

Eight students have been arrested in connection with a dormitory fire that killed 16 learners and injured dozens more, according to Kenya’s Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI).

In a statement issued on Friday, the DCI said preliminary investigations had linked the students to the planning and execution of what investigators believe was an arson attack. Detectives have interviewed students, teachers and other witnesses, and reviewed CCTV footage as part of the inquiry.

“Preliminary investigations have identified eight students as persons of interest in connection with the planning and execution of the suspected arson attack,” the agency said. The students remain in custody while investigators continue to record statements and analyse evidence.

Accounts from survivors and parents appear to support the findings. One Form Three student said the fire started in the middle of the dormitory, which housed Form Three, Grade 10 and Form Four students. A parent, citing her daughter’s account, said a group of Form Three students allegedly set a mattress on fire in protest against what they described as harsh treatment by the school administration.

The blaze spread rapidly through the Meline Waithera Block, a dormitory housing 220 students. Witnesses said the fire began near a group of double-decker beds, trapping many students who were asleep. Some managed to escape, while others were overcome by smoke and flames.

In addition to the 16 deaths, 79 students are receiving treatment for injuries sustained in the fire. Investigators are continuing to examine the circumstances surrounding the incident, including the possible motive for the attack.