Sixteen bodies of the victims who perished in the tragic fire at Utumishi Girls Secondary School in Gilgil, Nakuru County, on the night of Wednesday, May 27, 2026, have been moved to the Naivasha Sub-County Mortuary as grieving families and friends begin arriving at the facility.

Confirming the moving of the bodies in the statement on Friday, May 29, 2026, the Directorate of Criminal Investigations has confirmed that the moving of the bodies has been effected through a coordinated effort from multi-sectoral agencies

“A meticulous examination of the scene led to the recovery of sixteen (16) bodies, all of which were moved to Naivasha Sub-county Referral Hospital Mortuary pending post-mortem examinations and formal identification,” the DCI statement read in part.

Coordinated repatriation effort

The coordinated effort resulted in the involvement of the National Police Service, the Kenya Defence Forces, the National Youth Service, the Kenya Red Cross Society and the County Government of Nakuru. Emergency response personnel from various other state departments, such as the National Disaster Management Unit and the Department of Education, medical personnel, and local community members were also present.

The DCI has further noted that after the successful rescue efforts, a special investigation team headed by the director of homicide has been established to thoroughly investigate the tragedy.

Forensic investigations

The scene has already been processed by a highly specialised team, which included crime scene investigators, officers of the Crime Research and Intelligence Bureau from the Forensic Imaging and Acoustics Unit and forensic DNA experts.

Initial insights are that the fire started in the Meline Waithera Dormitory, which is a two-storey structure. Fire damage was extensive on the first floor, but was not as severe on the ground floor.

This top floor, which was a heavily affected area, housed 12 cubicles for 135 double-decker beds, authorities noted. The cause of the fatal inferno is still being investigated, and the team of experts is still trying to piece together the events of the tragedy.