Detectives now point to arson in Moi Girls dorm fire

The Moi Girls fire tragedy claimed the lives of eight students

Questions and theories on what exactly caused the fire at Moi Girls High School Nairobi have arisen as investigations point to arson as the most probable cause of the fire.

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.

According to a learner in Form One, a girl was seen applying what was believed to be gel on a mattress before lighting it.

Night guards

And the worst mistake the night shift guards made was to switch off the lights, thinking the fire had been caused by an electric fault.

This, as narrated by one of the students, caused more panic and even caused some to jump from the dormitory's upper floor.

A guard was among those injured.

Several experts from the fire department, Kenya Power and police revisited the affected dormitory to establish what may have caused the fire.

Those aware of the probe say preliminary findings point to arson.

Others said they did not believe an electric fault could have led to such huge damage, leaving arson as the most probable cause.

Doctors and officials from the homicide department also sifted through the debris as the probe gathered pace.

Police have also informally talked to survivors of the fire as part of their investigations.

"Students and teachers were talked to informally so we could get a picture of what happened. Experts are still on the ground looking for more details," said Nairobi Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) head Nicholas Kamwende.

Meanwhile, the bodies of eight students who died in the fire will undergo DNA tests for identification.

Parents whose children are missing have been asked to visit the Chiromo mortuary to submit their DNA samples for testing.

The eight, who were sleeping in Karbanet dormitory that housed the school's 338 Form One students, were burnt beyond recognition.

No parent was able to recognise the bodies when investigators allowed them to view the charred remains on Saturday, witnesses said.

The fire started at about 3am in a section of the one-storey dormitory called Extension, which had several students.

More than 40 students were treated and discharged from Nairobi Women's Hospital. Ten others were admitted, two with serious burns.

The school was closed for two weeks.

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