PS Belio calls on parents to return selected students

PS Belio Kipsang has requested assistance in tracing all students affected by the fire at Hillside Endarasha Academy in Nyeri County.

The tragic incident that occurred last night left 17 people dead.

The PS urged parents who may have picked up their children from school to bring them back, as well as community members who offered assistance during the emergency to come forward.

“We are trying to determine the names of all the children. We are asking parents who picked up their children and community members who may have helped at the burned Hillside Academy last night to help determine the names,” the PS said.

Kipsang's appeal comes at a time when authorities are gathering information and providing support to the affected families.

“The aim is to ensure that all students are accounted for and to support ongoing efforts to address the tragedy.”

Belio, who visited the school after the tragedy, said there were 824 students enrolled there.

There were 156 boys living in the school's ill-fated dormitory, in which 17 students died.

He said there were 402 boys and 422 girls among the students.

“Of the total 824 students, 156 boys and 160 girls are boarding students while the rest are day students. All 156 boys have been accommodated in the ill-fated dormitory,” said PS Belio.

Belio also said that Education Minister Julius Ogamba, who was on a trip to China, was on his way back to deal with the situation together with local teams.

Fourteen other students were injured in the tragic fire incident.

The Kenya Red Cross has set up a tracing desk at the school to help locate the students.

Esther Chege, Redcross' Mt Kenya KRCS director, said the counter would help parents identify their children.

“At the contact tracing desk, we can get all their data, including that of people in hospital, so we can advise them on how to access it,” she said.