Access to Utumishi Girls Academy in Gilgil, Nakuru County, was heavily restricted on Thursday as authorities sealed off the school following a devastating dormitory fire that claimed the lives of 16 students and left dozens injured.
Police officers mounted a tight security operation around the institution, barring members of the public and journalists from accessing the scene as investigations into the deadly inferno intensified.
The tragedy, which occurred in the early hours of Thursday morning, has plunged the country into mourning and sparked fresh concern over safety standards in Kenyan boarding schools.
Only parents, guardians, emergency responders, and authorized government officials were allowed into the compound as detectives and rescue teams continued operations at the scene.
Security officers erected barricades at the school entrance while anxious relatives gathered outside waiting for information about their children.
According to police, the fire broke out in one of the dormitories at around 1 am, trapping students inside as panic spread across the school compound.
Authorities confirmed that 16 students had died following the incident, while 74 others sustained injuries ranging from burns to smoke inhalation and were rushed to hospitals in Gilgil and Nakuru.
Several students remain admitted in critical condition as doctors continue treatment.
Witnesses described chaotic scenes as students screamed for help while teachers, police officers and local residents attempted to rescue those trapped inside the burning building.
Emergency teams from the Kenya Red Cross, county disaster units and local hospitals were deployed to support rescue efforts and provide psychosocial assistance to survivors and affected families.
Police said the restricted access was necessary to preserve the scene and allow investigators to establish the cause of the fire.
Detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations are expected to conduct forensic examinations at the dormitory as part of the ongoing probe.
Authorities have not yet disclosed the exact cause of the inferno.
The incident has reignited painful memories of past deadly school fires in Kenya, including the 2017 Moi Girls School tragedy in Nairobi and the 2001 Kyanguli Secondary School fire that killed dozens of students.
Leaders and education stakeholders have since called for urgent nationwide inspections of boarding schools to assess compliance with fire safety regulations and emergency preparedness measures.
Parents at the scene expressed frustration over limited information and delayed communication as officials worked to identify victims and account for all students.
Some relatives broke down in tears outside the school gates as ambulances ferried injured students to medical facilities.
Government officials are expected to issue a comprehensive statement once investigations progress and all affected families are notified.
Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen, DCI boss Mohammed Amin, and Deputy Inspector General Eliud Lagat are currently in an emergency meeting at the school.
The tragedy has triggered an outpouring of grief across the country, with Kenyans on social media demanding accountability and urgent reforms to improve student safety in schools.
