DNA identification of nine students killed in Moi Girls School fire underway at Chiromo Mortuary

Parents of Moi Girls School at Chiromo Mortuary

Pain, agony as DNA identification of 9 killed in Moi Girls School fire underway

DNA identification of 9 students killed in Moi Girls School fire underway at Chiromo Mortuary

Gloom written all over their faces gutted parents, who lost their children in  the Moi Girls School fire on Saturday, gathered at Chiromo Mortuary on Tuesday morning as pathologists conducted postmortem and DNA tests on the charred remains.

The government has organised three working stations where the pathologist, Government Chemist and Investigator are stationed                       

According to National Disaster Management Unit, the families will go through psychosocial support where they will be prepared for the process. After that, only close family members will be allowed to give DNA samples.  Later they will be allowed to view the bodies.                        

They will use a new technique in sampling the DNA this is according to the Deputy Director National Disaster Management Unit, Pius Masai.

"All the families have been allowed to view the nine bodies and none was able to physically identify their loved ones. The DNA samples have been taken from close relatives for scientific analysis to help identify the bodies. One body has been claimed by two families but that will be solved by DNA results,“ said Pius Masai.

Police investigations pointed to arson as the most probable cause of the fire in the school located in Nairobi. It has been claimed that the fire could have been started by a student in the dormitory, at least according to accounts given by several students.

During the Monday meeting, parents demanded the removal of the school principal, matron and the entire board of management.

Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang'i ordered the school closed for two weeks after the dormitory fire gutted down a dormitory in which 350 Form One girls were sleeping.

The Form One parents vowed not to bring back their daughters on September 15 as directed by CS Matiang'i unless safety measures ordered by the Ministry of Education were implemented.

The parents also want the dormitory burnt in the Saturday morning tragedy demolished and a new, safer one constructed for their traumatised daughters.