Sixteen students reportedly died and several others sustained injuries on Thursday following a fire outbreak at Utumishi Girls Academy, located in Gilgil, Nakuru County, Kenya.

Kenya’s President, William Ruto, in a post on Thursday via his Facebook page, condoled with parents, guardians, teachers and the victims’ colleagues, describing the incident as an “unimaginable tragedy.”

Mr Ruto said the government’s primary focus in response to the incident has been to rescue those affected, provide prompt treatment to those students that sustained injuries and support the families of the victims.

“Our hearts and prayers are with the families who have lost their beloved daughters in the tragic fire at Utumishi Girls Academy in Gilgil,” Mr Ruto said.

“Our immediate attention is focused on the rescue of those affected, the treatment of the injured, and support for their families, while investigations continue into the cause of the fire,” he stated.

Similarly, the country’s minister of education, Julius Ogamba, in an update posted on his social media page, described the inferno as an unfortunate incident.

“Last night, a regrettable fire tragedy befell Utumishi Girls Academy in Nakuru County. Most unfortunately, sixteen learners lost their lives while several others suffered injuries in the incident,” Mr Ogamba said.

The minister expressed heartfelt condolences to the families, friends and relatives of the students that lost their lives in the incident, while wishing others who sustained injuries a speedy recovery.

Mr Ogamba stated, “On behalf of the Ministry of Education and on my own behalf, I wish to convey our heartfelt condolences to the families, friends and relatives of the learners who lost their lives in this sorrowful incident. We wish a quick recovery to those who were injured.”

He stated that a multi-agency team, comprising officers from the Ministry of Education, Interior and National Administration, Gender Culture and Children Services and the County Government of Nakuru, has been working together to offer emergency support services to the victims.

“Investigations are ⁠ongoing, but the cause of the fire is not yet identified,” the minister noted.

The Kenya National Police Service (NPS), in a post via its Facebook page, disclosed that the police have been at the forefront of rescuing and providing emergency response following the incident.

“Police are leading rescue and emergency response efforts following a tragic dormitory fire in which a number of students have unfortunately lost their lives. We are working to account for all students and support affected families during this difficult time,” the NPS said.

The enforcement agency said it is working alongside the Kenya Defence Forces, the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Interior, the County Government of Nakuru, the NGAO, the Kenya Red Cross and other emergency teams to search, rescue and support ongoing operations at the scene of the incident.

Kenya’s Interior Cabinet Secretary, Kipchumba Murkomen, said the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) and forensic experts have also commenced identification of the victims and scene processing. 

“Regrettably, 16 children lost their lives while 79 others sustained injuries. Many of the learners at the institution are children of officers from the National Police Service,” Mr Murkomen said.