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DCI arrests 8 Utumishi Girls’ Academy students as probe into tragic fire incident begins
29th May, 2026 12:36 PM
Police have arrested eight students from Utumishi Girls’ Senior Secondary School in Gilgil, Nakuru County, following a dormitory fire that killed 16 students.
The fire broke out on Thursday, May 28, 2026, at the school’s Meline Waithera Dormitory.
The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) confirmed the arrests on Friday, May 29, 2026. Preliminary investigations link the eight girls to the planning and execution of the suspected arson attack.
“Investigators have conducted extensive interviews with students, teaching staff and other witnesses, while forensic teams carry out a detailed review of available CCTV footage,” the DCI stated, adding, “Preliminary investigations have identified eight students as persons of interest in connection with the planning and execution of the suspected arson attack. The eight girls have since been arrested and are currently in police custody.”
They are currently in police custody as persons of interest as detectives record their statements and analyse evidence to establish the motive.
Tragedy at Meline Waithera dormitory
The fire started on the upper floor of the Meline Waithera Dormitory, which is a two-storey building. While the ground floor remained largely intact, the first floor sustained extensive fire damage. The affected top floor had 12 cubicles that housed a total of 135 double-decker beds.
Emergency teams recovered 16 bodies from the building after concluding rescue operations. All the bodies have been taken to the Naivasha sub-county referral hospital mortuary for post-mortem examinations and formal identification.
The emergency response was a massive multi-agency effort coordinated by the National Police Service. It involved the Kenya Defence Forces, National Youth Service, Kenya Red Cross Society, Kenya Power, and the Nakuru County Government, among other agencies.
Homicide detectives take over case
A specialised investigation team led by the Director of Homicide has taken over the case. The team consists of Crime Scene Investigators, forensic DNA experts, and officers from the Crime Research and Intelligence Bureau’s Forensic Imaging and Acoustics Unit.
Detectives are currently reviewing CCTV footage and interviewing students, teachers, and other witnesses. At the school, forensic experts are working to find where the fire started by analysing burn patterns, checking for any signs of petrol or other accelerants, and inspecting the electrical wiring.
