Kenyan authorities have arrested eight students suspected of involvement in a fatal arson attack at a girls’ boarding school that left 16 students dead and 79 others injured.

The fire broke out in the early hours of Thursday at Utumishi Girls’ Academy Senior School in Gilgil, in west-central Kenya, according to police from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations.

Preliminary investigations indicate that the eight students are considered persons of interest in the planning and execution of the suspected arson, and they are currently in police custody as enquiries continue.Education officials have raised further concerns about the circumstances surrounding the tragedy.They stated that two teachers at the school were allegedly informed of the students’ plans but failed to intervene or prevent the incident.

The Ministry of Education also pointed to significant safety shortcomings at the institution, including overcrowded dormitories and a key emergency exit that was reportedly locked during the fire, which may have worsened the death toll and injuries.

Education Minister Julius Ogamba announced that the school’s board of management has been dissolved, and that both disciplinary and legal action will be taken against staff members found to have neglected their responsibilities.

The incident has reignited debate in Kenya over the persistent problem of school fires, many of which have been linked to student unrest over discipline and poor living conditions.

Similar tragedies include a 2024 fire in Nyeri County that killed 21 students, and the 2001 Kyanguli Secondary School disaster near Nairobi, where 67 schoolboys died in an arson attack.Investigations into the latest incident are ongoing.