The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) will commence the identification process on Monday for the bodies of pupils who tragically perished in the Hillside Endarasha Academy dormitory fire. Nyeri County Commissioner Pius Murugu stated that the bodies are currently at Naromoru Level 4 Hospital, where the identification process will take place.
Murugu emphasized that the DCI will oversee the process, noting that it will be lengthy and challenging, as the bodies were severely burnt and are beyond recognition.
“Many more students are missing but that process will start tomorrow at Naromoru. It’s going to be a long process and we hope to have it concluded soon,” Murugu said.
He also announced that the government will cover all medical expenses for students hospitalized and will oversee the arrangements for the victims’ funerals. Murugu, in collaboration with the Ministry of Education, plans to hold a meeting to facilitate the swift reopening of the school, given the upcoming national exams. He noted that while boarding facilities will be temporarily unavailable, day classes will continue as preparations are made for the resumption of boarding.
As the investigation into the Hillside Endarasha Academy fire continues, Citizen TV has reported that the blaze, which claimed the lives of 21 pupils, may have been caused by an electrical fault. A parent of one of the survivors, who wished to remain anonymous, suggested that the fire might have started from sparks emitted by a bulb near the dormitory’s main entrance, where students from Grades 5 to 8 are housed.
Prosecutors have directed the police to investigate whether negligence or recklessness contributed to the fire, promising that those responsible will be held accountable. The fire broke out around midnight on Thursday, engulfing a dormitory at the primary school in Nyeri County while over 150 boys aged between 9 and 13 were asleep.
