Eight girls killed in dormitory inferno

Eight pupils were burnt to death on Wednesday night in a dormitory fire in controversial circumstances.

They are said to have been locked up in the dormitory at Asumbi Girls Boarding Primary School when a suspected electrical fault sparked a fire. There were also complaints by villagers that guards turned away rescuers responding to the girls’ distress call. This could not be independently verified.

The victims were identified as Doreen Tobias, Pauline Apiyo, Wendy Akello, Sharon Ngala, Celestine Anyango, Eunice Anyango, Beverline Agong and Yvonne Awino. (READ: Eight pupils dead in dormitory inferno)

Wendy’s mother Oduor Owoko was heartbroken. “She was 14 and was aspiring to be a doctor like her father who is a dentist at the Homa Bay District Hospital,” she said amid sobs.

Ms Roselyn Abong, Beverly’s aunt, said: “Beverly was sweet, intelligent and very hard working. She was like a daughter to me, I took care of her when she was young as her mother was ill.”

The school administration on Thursday declined to comment on the tragedy, even as it emerged that the pupils were in school for holiday tuition, which has been outlawed by the government.

Parents and other pupils broke down as the bodies of the Standard Seven pupils were recovered from the debris.

Some 57 pupils in Standard Six and Eight, however, escaped death as they were in class when the fire broke out.

The fire started at around 8.30pm when the eight are said to have gone back to the dormitory after their remedial class failed to take place.

Reports indicated that the girls were to go home yesterday and were locked in the hostel by the guards.

An explosion was reported to have rocked the dormitory shortly after the doors were locked and the building was engulfed in flames.

Villagers claimed the girls could have been saved if the guards had not stopped rescuers from breaking into the dormitory when the fired started.

The bodies of three girls were found next to the door on top of each other, indicating that they were struggling to get out.

Smoke and flames

Another body was next to a window on top of a double-decker bed where it is suspected she was trying to get out from but was overcome by the smoke and flames.

Education minister Mutula Kilonzo directed school heads to ensure they carried out regular fire drills.

“This is going to be done immediately. These measures are there and I am surprised schools have ignored them,” he said.

Homa Bay County Commissioner Samwel Otieno and county education director Beatrice Asiago were among leaders who turned up at the school. But there was no school official to meet them.

A parent, Ms Judy Ouma, was relieved to find her Standard Eight daughter alive. “I thank God that my daughter is safe. I hope she will recover soon from the trauma so as to sit the KCPE (Kenya Certificate of Primary Education) examination),” said Mrs Ouma.

Nyanza Parents Association chairman Jackson Ogweno blamed the tragedy on poor management.

“Parents have sat down and concluded that strict disciplinary measures should be taken against the entire Asumbi board of governors.”

He said the school should explain why the door was locked and why the pupils were in school despite the ban on holiday tuition.

Last month, students from Onjiko Boys in Nyando District stormed Rae Girls High School in the neighbouring Nyakach District and Ahero High School and assaulted the girls.

Prime Minister Raila Odinga condoled with the bereaved families and directed the Ministry of Education and the Provincial Administration to investigate the tragedy. (PHOTOS: Asumbi fire disaster)

Reported by Maurice Kaluoch, Lilian Ochieng and Brian Yonga