Gilgil, Kenya—Sixteen students died early Thursday after a massive fire tore through the dormitories of a girls boarding school. Education Minister Julius Ogamba confirmed the death toll hours after the blaze broke out. Emergency crews are still scouring the blackened remains of the building for survivors. Seventy-nine students suffered injuries and now receive treatment at nearby medical facilities.

The fire struck the Utumishi Girls School in the middle of the night. More than eight hundred students attend this government-owned institution located in the Gilgil area. Police and fire units arrived shortly after the alarm triggered but faced significant challenges entering the structure. Smoke filled the halls within minutes of ignition.

Frantic parents gathered at the school perimeter throughout the morning. Local security officers kept the crowds back while specialized teams managed the scene. One witness reported that a matron opened a single door before the flames cut off further access. Others remained trapped inside as the roof began to collapse under intense heat.

Investigations into the origin of the fire remain in the early stages. Authorities must determine if the incident resulted from a deliberate act or failed electrical wiring. The school serves many children of police personnel and operates under strict disciplinary codes. Officials are now reviewing whether fire safety protocols were ignored.

School fires occur with alarming regularity across Kenyan boarding institutions. Previous incidents in the region have claimed dozens of lives over the last two decades. Government investigators often cite arson or poor maintenance as the primary drivers of these disasters. This latest event brings renewed scrutiny to boarding school infrastructure.

Rescue teams continue to clear debris from the dormitory floor. Every room is being inspected to ensure no students remain unaccounted for in the wreckage. The surrounding community remains in shock as news of the identities of the deceased filters out. Grief counselors have started working with the surviving student body.

President William Ruto is expected to issue a formal statement on the tragedy later today. Three days of national mourning may follow given the scale of the loss. Security around the site remains tight as investigators tag physical evidence. The campus will likely stay closed while police forensics crews process the site.

The fate of the school itself hangs in the balance. Parents are demanding answers regarding why safety measures failed to prevent such a catastrophic outcome. For now, the focus remains entirely on identifying the victims and stabilizing those who escaped.