• Source:JND
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A fire at Hillside Endarasha Academy in Nyeri County, central Kenya, killed at least 17 students after it engulfed a dormitory overnight. The blaze started around midnight, while the children were asleep. Several others were seriously injured and taken to the hospital, according to national police spokesperson Resila Onyango. The police have not yet disclosed the victims' ages.

"The bodies recovered at the scene were burnt beyond recognition," she said.

Onyango stated that several others were injured in the incident, with 16 of them in critical condition, and they were quickly taken to a nearby hospital for treatment, as reported by Reuters.

"More bodies are likely to be recovered once (the) scene is fully processed," she added.

President William Ruto stated that he had instructed authorities to investigate the incident and hold those responsible accountable. According to Citizen Television, the fire had charred the students beyond recognition.

"I instruct relevant authorities to thoroughly investigate this horrific incident. Those responsible will be held to account," Ruto said in a post on his X account. 

The cause of Thursday night's fire at Hillside Endarasha Primary in Nyeri County is under investigation, according to police spokesperson Resila Onyango. 

The school, which accommodates children up to age 14, saw a dormitory housing over 150 boys catch fire, spreading quickly due to the wooden structures. 

Nyeri County Commissioner Pius Murugu and the education ministry confirmed the school has 824 students and is located in Kenya's central highlands, about 200 kilo metres north of Nairobi, where wooden buildings are common.

In recent years, Kenya has witnessed a series of school fires, many of which have been confirmed as arson. One such incident occurred in September 2017, when nine students perished in a fire at a Nairobi school, which the government later determined to be an act of arson.

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