Six of 14 Kakamega pupils killed in stampede suffocated, says pathologist

Parents gather outside accident and emergency unit at Kakamega Referral Hospital wanting to know the fate of their children after a stampede which killed 14 children at Kakamega Primary School. [Nathan Ochunge, Standard]

Six of the fourteen pupils who died in Kakamega Primary School stampede on Monday succumbed to suffocation, Western region Government Pathologist Dickson Mchana has said.

Fourteen pupils died in a stampede which occurred at 5.30 pm when the pupils, the majority of whom are in Standard Six, were leaving for home.

The incident that took place on the third floor of the five-storeyed building left 14 pupils dead and 46 injured. 37 pupils were treated and discharged on Monday night. As of Wednesday. three of them were still fighting for their life at the intensive Care Unit (ICU). Three were in surgical wards and three others admitted at the general wards.

At the school, parents, relatives, and the public gathered in small groups desperately seeking for answers. The majority of those gathered sought to know the whereabouts of their children.

Some of the pupils said the incident happened when one of them who was leading others downstairs tried to block her colleagues mid-way along the stair-case on the third floor. Her colleagues pushed in a bid to force their way down the stairs and in the process stumbled on each other.

On Tuesday, Kakamega Central police boss David Kabena said initial investigation had revealed that the pupils were rushing home after the bell rang.

“The information I have as of now is that the pupils were pushing their way down the stairs when they fell on each other. Many others who were rushing to see what was happening ended up causing a stampede,” he said.

There was grief at Jamia mosque in Kakamega town yesterday during a funeral service of Nailah Kiverenge, 10, who was among the 14 pupils who died following the stampede.

The funeral service was attended by Sports Cabinet Secretary Amina Mohamed, Kakamega Senator Cleophas Malala and his nominated counterpart Naomi Shiyonga, Ikolomani MP Bernard Shinali, Kakamega County Assembly minority leader David Ndakwa and Amani National Congress (ANC) youth leader Emmanuel Buchichi attended the funeral.

The Ministry of Health ordered the school to be closed for a week as investigation into the incident continues.