Govt pathologist confirms transfer of 16 Utumishi Girls fire victims for postmortem in Naivasha
By Faith Lagat, May 28, 2026Government pathologist Titus Ngulungu has confirmed the transfer of 16 bodies recovered from the Utumishi Girls Academy dormitory fire in Gilgil, Nakuru County, to Naivasha Mortuary for postmortem examinations and DNA analysis.
Speaking at the scene, Ngulungu said the recovery process was conducted jointly with the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) and other government agencies as teams documented the burnt dormitory and combed through the debris.
“We have been here for the better part of the day with DCI and other government bodies documenting the scene and retrieving the bodies of the fire victims. We have documented the building and combed through the burned debris of all the cubes of the dormitory and we have managed to recover 16 bodies. We have also secured the bodies in the body bags and we are planning to take them to Naivasha mortuary for postmortem examination and further DNA analysis,” he said.
Ngulungu noted that most of the bodies were severely burned, making visual identification difficult and necessitating DNA testing in collaboration with relatives.
Fire incident and emergency response
The fire broke out around 1 a.m. in the girls’ dormitory, triggering a large-scale emergency response involving Kenya Red Cross, security agencies and county disaster teams. According to initial reports, 132 students were affected by the incident, with several evacuated to nearby health facilities including St. Joseph’s Mission Hospital in Gilgil.
Authorities confirmed that dozens of injured students received treatment, while most have since been discharged as recovery efforts continue. Emergency teams remained at the scene to support investigations and assist affected families.
Government response and investigations
Inspector-General of the National Police Service Douglas Kanja described the incident as a national tragedy and confirmed that investigations had been launched to establish the cause of the fire. Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen, who visited the scene alongside Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Migos Ogamba, said all responsible agencies had been deployed, including the Directorate of Criminal Investigations and forensic experts.
Education CS Ogamba announced the indefinite closure of the institution, saying students would be released to their parents while investigations continue.
Government Spokesperson Isaac Mwaura urged the public to avoid spreading unverified information and distressing images online, noting that such content deepens the trauma of affected families.
The tragedy has renewed national attention on boarding school safety standards, with calls for improved fire preparedness systems, infrastructure upgrades and emergency response mechanisms across learning institutions.