Eight students alleged to have been involved in a suspected arson attack at a Kenyan girls’ school that killed 16 pupils have been arrested, police say.

The fire broke out in the early hours of Thursday at Utumishi Girls Academy in Gilgil, about 120km (77 miles) north-west of the capital, Nairobi. It tore through the upper floor of a dormitory containing 135 bunk beds, News.Az reports, citing the BBC.

After interviews with students and staff and a forensic review of CCTV footage, eight pupils were identified as “persons of interest in connection with the planning and execution” of the fire, the National Police Service said in a statement.

Investigations into the exact cause of the blaze are continuing.

Police said the students were detained for questioning after being traced to their homes and brought back to the school, while others who had remained in the area were also tracked down and detained. The eight were among 30 students initially recalled to the school by detectives investigating the fire.

Education Minister Julius Ogamba said preliminary findings indicated multiple breaches of safety measures at the school, including overcrowding in dormitories and a locked exit door.

“In particular, there was congestion in the dormitory and one exit door was locked, contrary to the prescribed safety requirements,” he said.

He dissolved the school’s board of management and ordered action against the headteacher.

The minister said appropriate disciplinary and legal steps would be taken against anyone found to have failed in their duties.

Sorrowful scenes unfolded at the school as parents and relatives waited for updates on their children. Security was heightened around the institution as crowds gathered demanding swift action and accountability.

“I arrived at the school at 07:00 and three hours later I don’t have any information,” said Njuki Nthimba, who is searching for his niece.

“Some officers came from the school and asked the parents to group themselves in three groups. Group one is for parents whose children have been arrested in relation to the incident, group two is parents whose children died, and group three is parents who don’t know where their children are.

“I handed them my niece’s name, and I am now waiting to be told information about her.”

Samuel Githua said he came to the school looking for his sister.

“I don’t know where my sister is. We’ve been told some children are in hospital, some in the mortuary. Our mother died when we were young, so I have taken care of her like a father and mother. She has been my child,” he said.

In addition to the fatalities, 79 pupils were injured, some after jumping from the first floor.

Seven of the injured were transferred to Nairobi for specialised medical care, while the rest were treated and discharged.

The bodies of those who died have been taken to a nearby mortuary for preservation and DNA identification.

Kenya has a long history of school fires. Two years ago, at least 21 people died in a dormitory fire in central Kenya.

Many fires in boarding schools have been linked to suspected arson, often involving disgruntled pupils, while others have been caused by accidents. Overcrowding in dormitories and failures to follow safety guidelines, such as keeping exits clear and windows unlocked, have frequently been cited as contributing factors.

News.Az