Hillside Endarasha Academy fire: 19 dead boys yet to be identified

The families of 19 boys killed in Friday’s Hillside Endarasha Academy fire in Nyeri County are yet to identify their children, government spokesperson Isaac Mwaura said on Monday.

Twenty-one pupils have been confirmed dead after a fire broke out at the private primary school located in Kieni. Mwaura said two of the boys died while receiving treatment in the hospital, while the bodies of 19 others were recovered from the charred dormitory.

“Out of the 330 pupils in the school's boarding facility—166 girls and 164 boys—all the girls have returned home safely to their parents, and all the boys have been accounted for. However, the parents of the 19 deceased boys have not yet identified their children,” Mwaura said in a statement.

He added that autopsies are being carried out at Naromoru Level 4 Hospital to assist with identification.

“During this process, the families will also receive mental health and psychosocial support,” the government spokesperson said.

Mwaura noted that the Ministry of Health is providing essential medical supplies and coordinating blood donations and counselling services in Nyeri with support from the World Health Organization and the Kenya Red Cross, among others.

The government has pledged that those found responsible for the recent school fires over the weekend will be brought to justice.

On Saturday night, a fire broke out at Isiolo Girls High School in which no fatalities were reported but three students sustained minor injuries.

At Bukhalarire Secondary in Busia County, a fire broke out in one of the dormitories but no casualty was reported.

“While the cause of the fires has not yet been conclusively identified, the government confirms that it has mobilized all relevant agencies and continues to work diligently to conduct thorough investigations. Those found responsible will be brought to justice,” Mwaura said.