The bodies of the victims of a overnight fire at Utumishi Girls Academy are moved outside the burned dormitory in Gilgil, 77 miles northwest of Nairobi, Kenya, on Thursday. At least 16 students were killed in a fire in the school dorm. On Friday, eight girls were arrested on suspicion of arson. Photo by Stringer/EPA
May 29 (UPI) -- Eight students were arrested Friday for the alleged arson of a dormitory at a Kenyan girls' boarding school on Thursday that killed 16 students and injured 79 others, local officials announced.
The Kenya Directorate of Criminal Investigations posted a statement on X saying that the girls were "persons of interest" in the suspected arson attack. Education Minister Julius Ogamba said they could be charged as soon as Tuesday.
The fire broke out at the Utumishi Girls Academy, which is run by Kenya's police, around 1 a.m. at the dorm in Gilgil, which is 77 miles northwest of Nairobi. The blaze was contained by 3 a.m., Ogamba said.
Preliminary findings showed that there were multiple failures of safety measures at the school, including overcrowding in the dorms and a locked exit door, Ogamba said.
