Endarasha: Investigations into the cause of the September 5, 2024, Endarasha Hillside Academy school fire tragedy are almost complete, Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja has announced. Speaking at the Endarasha Police station in Kieni, Kanja noted that the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) is finalizing its investigation and will soon release findings on the blaze that resulted in the deaths of 21 boys.
According to Kenya News Agency, the tragedy unfolded on the night of September 4, 2024, when a fire erupted in the boys’ dormitory, killing 19 on the spot and leaving several others with severe burns. Two days after the incident, the Director of Public Prosecutions Renson Ingonga instructed the IG of Police to conduct a thorough investigation to ascertain the cause of the fire.
Initial media reports blamed the inferno on an electrical fault. However, the Kenya Power and Lighting Company (KPLC) dismissed this possibility. Nyeri County KPLC business manager, Duncan Machuka, stated that preliminary findings showed no link between the fire and the school’s electrical system. He emphasized that their analysis indicated the electricity installations at the institution were intact and the power supply was stable at the time of the incident.
In response, the DCI deployed forensic teams and experts to conduct an in-depth investigation. Director of Criminal Investigations Abraham Mugambi assured that investigators would collaborate with various stakeholders, including fire safety experts and government entities, to determine the fire’s cause. Despite these efforts, more than seven months later, the DCI has yet to release its findings.
The school has since reopened and now operates as a mixed day primary and junior secondary school.