At least 17 young children were killed in a fire that tore through their primary school dormitory in central Kenya overnight. Initial reports on Friday suggest that the dormitory was overcrowded, violating safety standards.

The blaze erupted at Hillside Endarasha Academy in Nyeri County around midnight, consuming rooms where over 150 children were sleeping, according to the police.

Authorities reported that the average age of the victims was approximately nine years old.

"There are 17 fatalities from this incident and there are also others who were taken to hospital with serious injuries," national police spokesperson Resila Onyango told AFP. 
 
"The bodies recovered at the scene were burned beyond recognition," she said. 
 
"More bodies are likely to be recovered once (the) scene is fully processed," she added. 

Distressed parents at Hillside Endarasha Academy after deadly night dorm fire killed 17 pupils pic.twitter.com/VasacnUpqU

— Citizen TV Kenya (@citizentvkenya) September 6, 2024

Kenya's Citizen TV broadcast images of the aftermath of the fire, showing collapsed, blackened corrugated iron roofing.

The cause of the blaze remains unknown. However, Kenya's National Gender and Equality Commission reported that initial findings suggested the dormitory was "overcrowded, in violation of safety standards" and has called for an immediate investigation.

President William Ruto, who is currently in Beijing for a China-Africa summit, extended his condolences in a post on X.
 
"Our thoughts are with the families of the children who have lost their lives in the fire tragedy," he said. 
 
Ruto instructed officials to "thoroughly investigate this horrific incident", and promised that those responsible will be "held to account". 

The details

The school, which accommodates around 800 pupils, is located in a semi-rural area approximately 170 kilometers (100 miles) north of Nairobi.

An AFP journalist at the scene observed that about 100 parents assembled outside the school gates, anxiously waiting for news about their children.

The dormitory was sealed off with yellow police tape, and officers were stationed at all entry points to secure the area.

Homicide Detectives at Hillside Endarasha Academy in Kieni, Nyeri to Establish the cause of dorm fire that killed 17 learners and left 14 others Injured! pic.twitter.com/k4ITPxtQyi

— Trending In Kenya 🇰🇪 (@trendingKenyawr) September 6, 2024

The Kenyan Red Cross reported that it is on the ground supporting a multi-agency response team.
 
In a post on X, the Kenyan Red Cross stated that it is "providing psychosocial support services to the pupils, teachers, and affected families."