Kenyan investigators have arrested eight students following a devastating, suspected arson attack at a boarding school in Nakuru County.
The fierce overnight blaze tore through a dormitory at Utumishi Girls Senior Secondary School, killing 16 young girls.
In addition to the tragic fatalities, the fast-moving inferno injured 79 other students, though most have now been discharged.
The Directorate of Criminal Investigations stated that surveillance footage and extensive interviews pointed to a planned and deliberate attack.
The eight detained girls are currently being held in police custody as persons of interest regarding the fire’s execution.
A specialized multi-agency team of homicide detectives, forensic experts, and DNA specialists is leading the intense criminal investigation.
Forensic teams are analyzing burn patterns and electrical systems to discover the ignition source and potential use of accelerants.
The fire burned the victims beyond recognition, forcing authorities to rely entirely on DNA profiling for formal identification.
The national tragedy has shocked the nation, casting a somber shadow over the safety of residential school dormitories.
Grief and anger grip the local community as families wait in agony for forensic results to claim their children.
