Fire breaks out at Gacharage Secondary School in Murang’a hours after Utumishi Girls’ Academy tragedy
By Ndiritu Wanjiru, May 29, 2026Fire broke out on the night of Thursday, May 28, 2026, at Gacharage Secondary School in Kandara Ruchu, Murang’a County, raising fresh concerns over safety in learning institutions just hours after the deadly Utumishi Girls Academy fire tragedy in Gilgil that left 16 learners dead and scores with injuries, leading to the indefinite closure of the school.
Confirming the incident in a public notice on his social media handles on the night of Thursday, May 28, 2026, Murang’a Governor Irungu Kang’ata said that there were no casualties in the fire outbreak and the county emergency teams had been dispatched immediately to contain the blaze.
“Public Notice: Fire Incident at Gacharage Secondary School, Kandara Ruchu. Good evening, residents of Kandara Ruchu. We are aware of the fire incident currently affecting Gacarage Secondary School,’ Kang’ata stated.
According to the governor, Murang’a County Fire and Rescue teams were on the ground battling the fire alongside local community responders as efforts continued to stop the flames from spreading. Kang’ata assured parents and residents that the safety of students, teachers, and nearby residents remained the county government’s top priority.
“Murang’a County Fire and Rescue teams are on site and actively battling the fire alongside local community responders,” Irungu noted.
He confirmed that evacuation protocols had been activated and all learners at the school had been accounted for.
Investigations into the fire outbreak
The safety of students, staff, and nearby residents is our immediate priority. Evacuation protocols have been activated, and all learners have been accounted for.
The governor further confirmed in the statement that the authorities had not established the cause of the fire, saying investigations and a full assessment would be carried out once the situation was fully contained.
“The cause of the fire is not yet confirmed. Our team will conduct a full assessment once the situation is under control,” he added
The county boss urged the residents to stay away from the school area to allow emergency responders and security officers easy access as firefighting operations continued.
The county government also appealed to the public to avoid spreading unverified information and instead rely on official communication channels for updates on the incident.
Governor Kang’ata said the county government would continue providing updates as emergency teams worked to minimise damage at the school.
He further advised residents with urgent concerns to contact Murang’a County Disaster Management through the MyMurang’a app.
Deadly Utumishi Girls fire tragedy
The fire comes at a time when the country is still mourning the tragic dormitory fire at Utumishi Girls Academy in Gilgil, which claimed the lives of 16 students and left others injured, triggering renewed debate over school safety standards across the country.
Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba, speaking during a press briefing on Thursday, May 28, 2026, confirmed that 16 students lost their lives following a devastating fire at Utumishi Girls’ Academy. This tragedy has plunged the country into mourning and renewed concerns over safety standards in Kenyan boarding schools.
Ogamba said the fire broke out at around 12:45 am in one of the dormitories located on the second floor of the school. The blaze rapidly spread through the dorm, causing extensive damage and injuring several students.
“And we woke up with the sad news of a fire incident at this girls’ school, where at about 12:45 am a fire broke out in one of the dorms on the second floor,” Ogamba said.
“The dorm is destroyed, together with a lot of injuries to our learners, and unfortunately, we lost some of our learners in that incident.”
According to the Education CS, the school had a student population of 815 girls at the time of the incident, although seven students were away from school for various reasons. Out of the 808 students present during the fire, 79 were treated for injuries and trauma, with many later discharged from the hospital.