Eight students arrested over Utumishi Girls' fire tragedy as DCI launches probe

The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) has launched an in-depth investigation into the deadly fire incident at Utumishi Girls Senior Secondary School in Gilgil, Nakuru County, that claimed the lives of 16 students.

In a statement issued on Friday, the DCI said eight students had been arrested as persons of interest in connection with the planning and execution of the suspected arson attack.

“Preliminary investigations have identified eight students as persons of interest in connection with the planning and execution of the suspected arson attack,” the statement read.

“The eight girls have since been arrested and are currently in police custody.”

The said fire broke out on Thursday, May 28, 2026, at the school’s Meline Waithera Dormitory.

According to the DCI, a dedicated investigation team led by the Director of Homicide has taken over the case following the conclusion of rescue and emergency response operations.

The agency revealed that the emergency response was coordinated by the National Police Service (NPS) with support from several government agencies and stakeholders, including the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF), National Youth Service (NYS), Kenya Red Cross Society (KRCS), Nakuru County government, Kenya Forest Service (KFS), the National Disaster Management Unit (NDMU) and the Ministry of Education.

The DCI said forensic experts and crime scene investigators have already processed the scene as investigations continue.

“The multi-agency investigation team, comprising highly specialized personnel including Crime Scene Investigators (CSIs), Crime Research & Intelligence Bureau (CR&IB) officers from the Forensic Imaging and Acoustics Unit, and forensic DNA experts, has processed the scene at Meline Waithera Dormitory,” the statement said.

Investigators established that the affected dormitory is a two-storey building whose upper floor sustained extensive fire damage while the ground floor remained largely intact.

The upper floor reportedly consisted of 12 cubicles accommodating a total of 135 double-decker beds.

“A meticulous examination of the scene led to the recovery of sixteen (16) bodies, all of which were moved to Naivasha sub-county Referral Hospital Mortuary pending post-mortem examinations and formal identification,” the DCI stated.

DCI says that sleuths are currently at the crime scene where processing and documentation are still ongoing as detectives work to establish the exact cause of the fire.

Investigators are analysing burn patterns, evaluating electrical installations and determining whether accelerants may have been used.

The DCI further said detectives have conducted extensive interviews with students, teachers and other witnesses, while forensic teams continue reviewing available CCTV footage.

“Detectives continue to record statements and analyse all available evidence to reconstruct the sequence of events, establish the full circumstances of the incident, and determine the motive,” the statement added.

While condoling with the affected families, the police wished a quick recovery to those receiving treatment and appealed to parents, guardians and members of the public to remain calm and allow investigations to continue.