Why have so many school fires occurred in Kenya?

At least 18 pupils have died, and 27 injured, in a fire at a boarding school for primary school-aged children in central Kenya, police say.

Authorities said more than a dozen children up to the age of 12 from the Hillside Endarasha Primary School in Nyeri county were rushed to hospital with severe burns after the blaze on Thursday. There are fears that the death toll could rise.

It is unclear yet what caused the school fire, but arson attacks at Kenyan boarding schools have become an alarming national trend. More than 100 children have died in the past two decades from fire-related incidents in schools.

Here’s what we know about the incident, and what’s causing Kenya’s school fire problem:

What happened at the Hillside Endarasha Primary School?

Fire broke out on Thursday night at the co-educational primary school, which has about 800 pupils aged five to 12. About 150 boys were believed to be in a dormitory when it caught fire.

Authorities have not confirmed or ruled out arson. Police said investigative teams have been deployed to the school, which has now been cordoned off.

The Kenya Red Cross (KRC) said at least 11 injured children were rushed to Nyeri Provincial General Hospital after what it called a “tragic incident”.

The organisation also said it has set up a tracing desk for missing pupils. In addition, the KRC said it will provide psychosocial support to pupils, teachers and affected families.

President William Ruto described the fire on Friday morning as “devastating news”.

“We pray for speedy recovery to the survivors. I instruct relevant authorities to thoroughly investigate this horrific incident. Those responsible will be held to account,” Ruto posted on the social media platform X.

Do school fires occur frequently in Kenya?

Unfortunately, yes, particularly fires in boarding schools. In several cases, authorities have confirmed arson as the cause and have usually found students to be the culprits.

In 2016, Kenyan authorities documented 130 cases of school burnings related to student unrest. At least 63 arson cases were reported in 2018, according to parliamentary records.

Fires were started in boys, girls and co-educational schools.

Many parents in Kenya choose to send their children to primary boarding schools because they believe these schools provide children with a better environment for learning, have better discipline and reduce the burden of daily transportation costs, according to the journal Kenya Studies Review.

What causes school fires in Kenya?

The leading cause of school fires is arson, according to the findings of a study by University of Nairobi researcher Isaac Muasya. Faulty electrical appliances such as electric cookers and flammable substances such as cigarettes also pose a significant risk, Muasya’s study found.

When are school fires most likely to occur?

Arsons are usually committed at night and often in school dor

Dissatisfaction and unrest among students, young people and children is also more likely to mount during the second term of school, which tends to be longer than the first and third terms.

Added weeks of extracurricular activities and sports competitions extend the school term. Resulting fatigue from extracurricular and academic work, researchers and authorities found, is likely to lead to unrest.

Students often have to leave school for a period of time after a fire breaks out. In some cases, the students are also required to collectively pay for the damage in the next term, leading to complaints from parents. Officials said that decision is often made by the school management, not the government. It’s unclear if the Kenyan government funds repairs after damage to schools from fires.