Eight students arrested in Kenya after suspected deadly school arson attack

Eight students arrested in Kenya after suspected deadly school arson attack12 minutes agoShareSaveAdd as preferred on GoogleAnxious relatives wait for news as injured students return

Eight students alleged to have been involved in a suspected arson attack at a Kenyan girls' school that killed 16 pupils have been arrested, police say.

The fire in the early hours of Thursday morning at the Utumishi Girls Academy in Gilgil, about 120km (77 miles) north-west of capital city Nairobi, tore through the upper floor of a dormitory which had 135 bunk beds.

After interviews with students and staff and a forensic review of CCTV footage, eight pupils at the school were identified as "persons of interest in connection with the planning and execution" of the fire, the National Police Service said in a statement.

Investigations are continuing into the exact cause of the blaze.

Police said the students were detained for questioning after being traced to their homes and brought back to the school, while others who had remained in the area were also tracked down and detained.

The eight were among 30 students who were initially traced and recalled back to the school by detectives investigating the deadly fire.

Reuters A two-storey dormitory building. Burn marks can be seen coming up on the external walls of the first floor.

ReutersThe fire started on the first floor of the dormitory

Kenya has had a long history of school fires - just two years ago at least 21 people died in a dormitory fire in central Kenya.

Many fires reported in boarding schools have been the result of arson, with disgruntled pupils - angry about the discipline and living conditions - accused of being responsible, while others were caused by accident.

Overcrowding in dormitories and the failure to follow safety guidelines, such as keeping exits clear and windows unlocked, have frequently been blamed for the high number of casualties.