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Fire incident reported at Gacharage Secondary School hours after Utumishi Girls’ Academy tragedy
29th May, 2026 08:58 AM
A fire broke out at Gacharage Secondary School in Kandara Ruchu, Murang’a County, on Thursday night, triggering an emergency response from county fire and rescue teams even as Kenya mourns 16 students killed in a dormitory blaze at Utumishi Girls Academy in Gilgil, Nakuru County, hours earlier.
Murang’a Governor Irungu Kang’ata confirmed the incident in a public statement, saying all learners are accounted for and evacuation protocols are in effect.
“We are aware of the fire incident currently affecting Gacarage Secondary School,” Kang’ata said. “The safety of students, staff, and nearby residents is our immediate priority. Evacuation protocols have been activated, and all learners have been accounted for.”
The governor added that Murang’a County Fire and Rescue teams were actively battling the blaze alongside local community responders.
The cause of the fire has not been established, and he urged the public to keep away from the school to allow emergency teams unobstructed access.
“Please avoid the school area to allow emergency teams clear access. Follow instructions from county officers and National Police Service on the ground. Do not spread unverified information,” he said, directing urgent inquiries to the Murang’a County Disaster Management line via the MyMuranga App.
A nation in shock
The Gacharage incident comes less than 24 hours after a catastrophic dormitory fire tore through Utumishi Girls Academy in Gilgil, Nakuru County, in the early hours of Thursday, May 28.
Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba confirmed 16 students were killed and 79 injured, with seven remaining hospitalised.
The fire at Utumishi is reported to have started around 1.00 am. President William Ruto conveyed condolences to affected families, saying the government’s immediate focus is on the treatment of the injured and support for bereaved families as investigations continue.
Pattern that has haunted Kenyan schools for decades
Thursday’s twin incidents add to a grim national record. Kenya’s deadliest school fire occurred in 2001, when 67 boys died in a dormitory blaze at Kyanguli Secondary School in Machakos County, later attributed to arson by students.
In September 2024, 21 pupils died in a dormitory fire at Hillside Endarasha Academy in Nyeri County, prompting President Ruto to declare three days of national mourning.
A 2017 Nairobi school fire killed 10 students, with a student subsequently charged with murder.
A task force convened after the 2017 fires produced 68 recommendations on dormitory safety, fire-exit access, and fire-drill enforcement.
Investigations into the Gacharage fire remain ongoing.
