Nyeri Woman Who Witnessed Endarasha School Fire Recounts Horrific Scene: "Moto Wa Mattress Ni Kali"

• A woman who was alarmed after learning that Hillside Endarasha Academy was on fire rushed to the school to help the fraternity deal with it
• According to the woman, there was a raging inferno, which was made worse because of the mattresses in the dorms
• She said that the darkness and the smoke inside the dorms made it difficult for many pupils to escape, and they sadly got burnt

One of the neighbours living around Hillside Endarasha Academy has shared about the magnitude of the fire that caused so much smoke and, ultimately, the deaths of the young ones.

How did the neighbours react to Hillside Academy fire?

Speaking to TUKO.co.ke, the middle-aged woman shared that when she arrived at the school, she discovered that the fire was too huge because of the mattresses.

"When we heard about the fire, we came very fast and rescued those we knew and those we didn't know. I was among those who came to rescue the pupils; we met screaming students, and the parents were collapsing in the compound," she said.

"There was so much darkness, which caused some kids to get burnt as they could not find escape routes," she revealed.

According to some neighbours, they can still hear the screams of the children who were in distress days after the incident.

What was Governor Mutahi Kahiga's plea to parents?

"We continue to call on parents who may have taken children out of school to save them, and they have not reported to us. You can keep them, but call 1119, which is the Red Cross number. We have continued to narrow the number and now they are lower," said Nyeri governor, Mutahi Kahiga.

"We know there are may kids that have not been accounted for, we shall be able to account for them on September 9,. when we meet with the parents, they will be guided through the process of seeing how those bodies will be recognised," he added.

The authorities said they would be there to the end and revealed that DNA sampling and matching would be done on September 9.

The government will take on the responsibility of paying the medical bill and any other bill that had been incurred.

They added that they would also take care of the burial preparations and the place where our loved ones will be rested.

According to an official who spoke to TUKO.co.ke, the cause of the fire was not yet known, so the door area was cordoned off until investigations were finished.

Parent hails 12-year-old son

Another story revealed that although Paul Kung'u was saddened that a fire at Hillside Endarasha Academy killed 21 children, he was proud of his son, who rescued other pupils.

According to Louis Kiringa, he was asleep when it got unbearably hot in the dorm, so he woke up and started running out; on the way, he alerted one of the boys who was still asleep.

The young man said he helped a boy jump from the window while the other boy was taken by the teacher, and he had never seen the latter since then.

What you need to know about Endarasha Academy

• Simon Njogu is yet to receive information about his son Kelvin, a Grade 7 pupil at Hillside Endarasha Academy
• Nairobi businesswoman Agnes Kagure said boarding school policies should be reviewed to put more emphasis on the safety of the students
• A prayer service was being held to honour the pupils who died in the tragic fire at Hillside Endarasha Academy in Nyeri

Proofreading by Otukho Jackson, a multimedia journalist and copy editor at TUKO.co.ke