Africa
Fire rips through Kenya boarding school dormitory, killing 17 boys

By Reuters
September 6, 2024 8:07 AM EDTUpdated an hour ago

Summary
• Fire rages through school dormitory
• 17 young boys killed
• President Ruto calls for investigation
• Kenya has history of school fires, most linked to arson

NAIROBI, Sept 6 (Reuters) - A fire killed 17 boys when it ripped through the dormitory in which they were sleeping at a boarding school in central Kenya in the early hours of Friday, police said.

Citizen Television said the fire had burnt the victims beyond recognition.

The blaze occurred at the Hillside Endarasha Academy in Nyeri, a primary boarding school for young students about 150 km (93 miles) from the capital Nairobi.

"We have lost 17 pupils in the fire incident while 14 are injured," police spokesperson Resila Onyango said. "Our team is at the scene at the moment."

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