I thought I would die: Survivors recount horror that claimed 16 lives

Hilda Njeri with her mother  walks out of Utumishi Girls High  school.She is among the survivors of the dormitory fire tragedy.[Kipsang Joseph, Standard]

For Hilda Njeri, Wednesday night at Utumishi Girls Academy was supposed to end like every other school night — with laughter fading into silence as exhausted students drifted to sleep after a long day of classes.

Instead, it became a nightmare she may never fully forget.

The 17-year-old Form Three student is among the survivors of the devastating dormitory fire that claimed the lives of 16 learners, leaving behind grief, unanswered questions and haunting memories.

Njeri recalled the terrifying moments when screams shattered the stillness of the night shortly after midnight.

At first, she thought it was the usual noise from the cubicles. Then she smelt smoke and, within moments, flames were tearing through the dormitory.

“When I opened my eyes, the fire had already spread almost everywhere. The smoke was overwhelming. There were screams everywhere, and everyone was trying to escape,” she said.

Panic, she recalled, swept through the upper floor as students stumbled through thick smoke, desperately searching for a way out.

Njeri said the fire had already blocked several cubicles, trapping dozens of terrified girls inside.

The students rushed towards the nearest exit door, hoping to escape, only to discover it had been locked from the outside.

Worst moment

“That moment was the worst,” she recalled. “Girls were pushing, others were falling, and some were crying for help. The smoke kept increasing, and people were choking.”

With every passing second, fear intensified. Some students began smashing windows in desperation.

Njeri said many girls hesitated, terrified of jumping from the building even as the flames closed in around them. But staying inside felt like certain death.

“I was struggling to breathe. I remember thinking that if I stayed there any longer, I would die,” she said.

Gathering courage amid the fear and confusion, she squeezed through a broken window and jumped to safety, injuring her leg in the process. Behind her were screams she says she may never forget. “The situation was very bad. Some girls were too scared to jump. Others were calling for help. There was smoke everywhere,” she said.

Only hours earlier, life at the school had appeared completely normal. The students had attended classes during the day, evening lessons until 8pm, and later an hour of entertainment before returning to the dormitory at around 9pm.

Even after returning to the dormitory, the girls continued with their normal routine, including fetching water after discovering there was none available, taking baths and eventually retiring to bed. Now, the memories of that evening have become the final moments many families will ever associate with their daughters.

Njeri’s mother, Virginia Wangare, said her daughter had only returned to school from home on Tuesday. A day later, tragedy struck.

As she stood outside the school, relief that her daughter had survived mixed painfully with sorrow for families whose children never made it out alive. “We believed our children were safe here,” she said.

As she spoke, distraught parents remained camped outside the school gate, pleading with security officers and school administrators for updates about their children. Some relatives were asked to record the names and details of missing learners. By Friday, at least 25 names had been listed.

Njuki Nthimba from Meru County said his niece, a Grade 10 learner, was still unaccounted for. He said officials at the school had grouped parents into categories: those whose children were safe at school, those whose children had died, and those whose children remained missing. “We gave them the names, and they told us to wait as investigations continued,” he said.

On Thursday, Government Pathologist Dr Titus Ngulungu confirmed that the bodies recovered from the scene had been burnt beyond recognition and would require DNA analysis for identification. Grief-stricken parents now face another painful wait as authorities yesterday began collecting DNA samples to help identify learners who perished in the dormitory fire.

John Muiruri, a parent who lost his Grade 10 daughter, said families had initially been informed that DNA sampling would be conducted in Naivasha before the plans suddenly changed.

“Later they informed us samples would instead be collected at the school,” he said.

Muiruri said he had already confirmed that his daughter’s name appeared on the official list of students believed to have died in the tragedy.

“The only thing remaining now is the DNA confirmation. They told us the results will be out shortly,” he said.

For Muslim families affected by the tragedy, the wait has been particularly agonising as they grapple with the conflict between lengthy identification procedures and Islamic burial traditions, which require burial to take place as soon as possible.

Sadia Gorbole, guardian to Form Three student Zuhura Rahma, fought back tears as she recounted the desperate search for the teenager.

“I came yesterday and could not find the child. Later in the evening, we were informed she was among those who perished,” she said.

Gorbole said she later returned to the school with the girl’s father to provide DNA samples. “We were told the results may take at least four days, but for us, we do not have the luxury of waiting. We need help. The process should be fast-tracked,” she said.