{"id":35757,"date":"2024-09-08T09:09:35","date_gmt":"2024-09-08T13:09:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/newssprinters.com\/index.php\/world\/girls-boarding-school-engulfed-by-fire-in-kenya\/08\/09\/2024\/"},"modified":"2024-09-08T09:09:35","modified_gmt":"2024-09-08T13:09:35","slug":"girls-boarding-school-engulfed-by-fire-in-kenya","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/newssprinters.com\/index.php\/world\/girls-boarding-school-engulfed-by-fire-in-kenya\/08\/09\/2024\/","title":{"rendered":"Girls boarding school engulfed by fire in Kenya"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Locals and recue teams rushed to the Isiolo Girls High School after a fire swept through its dormitories [ Isiolo Girls High School\/Facebook]<\/figcaption><\/p>\n<\/figure>\n

At least three students have been injured after a fire broke out at a girls boarding school in central Kenya’s Isiolo town on Saturday, the Red Cross says.<\/p>\n

It comes after the deaths of at least 21 children in a fire at a boarding school in Nyeri<\/a>, also in central Kenya, at around 23:00 local time (20:00 GMT) on Thursday.<\/p>\n

A Kenyan police spokesperson said the blaze destroyed dormitories at Isiolo Girls High School, before being contained.<\/p>\n

The cause of the blaze is unknown, but there have been numerous fires in boarding schools in Kenya in recent years, prompting national concern about safety standards.<\/p>\n

The Kenya Red Cross said three children had suffered minor injuries, and had received psychological first aid.<\/p>\n

Police, fire and rescue squads could be seen using flashlights to search for any students and salvageable property in the destroyed dormitories, Reuters news agency reports.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, DNA testing will begin on Monday to identify the bodies of children who died in the fire at Hillside Endarasha Academy on Thursday night.<\/p>\n

Officials say 17 children remain unaccounted for – with some parents and relatives camping at the school to demand answers.<\/p>\n

President William Ruto has declared three days of mourning, starting on Monday, for the victims of the fire.<\/p>\n

The cause of the fire is still unclear.<\/p>\n

Investigators should “assess whether or not the tragedy may have resulted from negligence and\/or recklessness”, the chief prosecutor said in a statement.<\/p>\n

Director of Public Prosecutions Renson Ingonga said the tragedy “evokes bad memories of other similar school fire incidents” that many times pointed to a failure to comply with safety standards.<\/p>\n

In 2022, a dormitory in western Kenya burnt down, with several students later arrested on suspicion of arson.<\/p>\n

In 2017, 10 students died in an arson attack at Moi Girls High School in the capital Nairobi.<\/p>\n

At least 67 students died in Machakos County, south-east of Nairobi, in the deadliest Kenyan school arson that took place more than 20 years ago.<\/p>\n

More BBC stories from Kenya:<\/strong><\/p>\n

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Locals and recue teams rushed to the Isiolo Girls High School after a fire swept through its dormitories [ Isiolo Girls High