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17 Pupils confirmed dead in the Hillside Endarasha Academy fire incident. Police say average age of the victims is 9 years old.

6th September 2024

It was a typical Thursday night at the Hillside Endarasha Academy. The students were settling into their dorms, drifting off to sleep as the clock ticked towards midnight. But in a twist of fate, their world would soon be engulfed in flames.

Seventeen young lives were lost, while more than a dozen others were left with severe burns after a fire broke out at the boarding school. The blaze caught the children, aged between 5 and 12, completely by surprise. While the cause of the fire remains unknown, the fear is palpable—so is the grief. As we unravel this tragedy, it becomes clear that the impact will linger for years to come.

A Sudden Nightmare

It all started around midnight. As the fire spread rapidly through the timber-built dormitories, panic set in. More than 150 pupils were crammed into the dormitory when the fire erupted, and the confusion was overwhelming. Some children ran for their lives, while others froze in shock. “We saw flames. Everything was happening so fast,” said a local resident who was one of the first to rush to the scene.

President William Ruto was quick to express his horror, describing the fire as "horrific" and "devastating." He promised an investigation, vowing that those responsible would be held accountable. But amidst the smoke and rubble, the community was left with more questions than answers.

Rescue Efforts

The Kenyan Red Cross and local residents fought bravely to rescue the children trapped in the burning building. People used whatever they could find—buckets, hoses, even blankets—to douse the flames. However, by the time the fire was under control, the damage had been done.

In a chilling moment, local official Samson Mwangi Mwema described how they found some children hiding under their beds, terrified, unable to escape. "We pulled them out, but not all could be saved," he said. The fire raged so fiercely that even the quickest of responses felt too slow.

A Parent’s Worst Fear

For the parents waiting outside the school, the night turned into a living nightmare. John Githogo, the uncle of one missing schoolboy, described the uncertainty as "torture." “They told us some children died, some ran away, and some were rescued. But we haven’t found our boy.”

Other parents had similar fears. Francis Wachira, whose daughter attended the school, said the information was scant at best. "They told us some children escaped, but they didn’t tell us where they went," he said. For many families, the agony of not knowing whether their children had perished or fled into the night was unbearable.

Tragedy Strikes at the Heart of the Community

Hillside Endarasha Academy, located in Nyeri County, is a private school caring for over 800 students. The school is about 150 kilometers from Nairobi, Kenya's bustling capital. For years, the school had been a pillar in the community, educating children and helping them grow.

But that legacy was forever altered when the fire claimed the lives of so many. Nyeri County Governor Mutahu Kahiga described the incident as a "great loss," saying it had stolen the futures of young people with so much promise. It wasn’t just a school that burned down that night; it was the hopes and dreams of an entire community.

A Deadly Trend

Unfortunately, this is not the first time Kenya has seen such a tragedy unfold. Fires in Kenyan boarding schools are shockingly common, often caused by arson or poor infrastructure. In 2017, ten students died in an arson attack at Moi Girls High School in Nairobi. The deadliest school fire in Kenya’s history occurred more than 20 years ago, claiming the lives of 67 students in Machakos County.

The question that haunts many parents and educators alike is: Why do these fires keep happening? Some blame the use of timber in construction, which makes buildings highly flammable. Others point to the lack of proper fire safety measures in many schools. Regardless of the cause, the result is always the same—innocent lives lost, families devastated, and communities left in mourning.

Where Do We Go From Here?

As the community mourns the loss of these children, the focus shifts to accountability and prevention. Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua made it clear that the government will assist the affected families with hospital bills and funeral arrangements. But the true question is: Will this be enough to prevent another tragedy from happening?

The Ministry of Education has vowed to investigate the cause of the fire and make their findings public. However, the families left behind want more than just answers—they want justice. “We need to know who is responsible,” said one grieving parent. “Our children deserve better.”