Hillside Endarasha Academy was a disaster in waiting – See the big blunder that led to the inferno that killed 18 pupils

Saturday, September 7, 2024 – Preliminary investigations into the death of 18 students at Hillside Endarasha Academy through the fire incident have unearthed the blunder that led to the deaths.

A spot check revealed that the dormitory where the pupils were housed was constructed using timber.

This is significant since timber catches fire quickly, potentially leading to an inferno that can be difficult to contain. Reports indicated that the dorm housed 150 boys.

The tragedy claimed the lives of 18 pupils and left 14 others nursing serious injuries who were subsequently rushed to Othaya Hospital for specialized medical treatment.

It has also emerged that firefighters responding to the incident lacked water hampering rescue operations. This forced them to look for water 16 kilometres away, delaying the response.

Instructively, in 2020 the Auditor General released an audit on schools' fire preparedness, which revealed that many if not all schools in Kenya are not well prepared for school fires.

Auditor General Nancy Gathungu reported that several schools have their doors opening inwards. This means that students are likely to lock themselves from inside as they struggle to get out.

“Physical verification revealed that some schools had windows with metal grills contrary to regulations,” the report stated.

The investigation further revealed that some schools did not have doors at each end of the dormitory or clearly labeled emergency exits in the middle.

Some dormitories have doorways of less than the recommended five feet for ease of escape.

The audit established that schools had not acquired the required firefighting equipment due to a lack of committees to inform the school management of such needs.

The Kenyan DAILY POST