Pope Francis sends condolences to families, calls Hillside fire tragedy a calamity

Pope Francis has sent his heartfelt condolences and prayers to the families of the 17 victims who lost their lives in the Hillside Endarasha Academy fire on Thursday night.

The tragic blaze, which occurred at Hillside Endarasha Academy in Nyeri County, also left 14 students injured.

In a heartfelt telegram to Archbishop Anthony Muheria of Nyeri on Saturday, the Pope described the fire as a "calamity" that has deeply affected the Kenyan nation.

The message was signed by Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican's Secretary of State.

Pope Francis expressed his sorrow, stating he was "deeply saddened" by the incident that led to the death of young lives.

He expressed his "spiritual closeness to all who are suffering the effects of this calamity, especially the injured and the families who grieve."

He offered his prayers for the victims' families and entrusted the souls of the departed children to "the loving mercy of Almighty God."

In his message, the Pope also extended his support to the injured and those struggling with grief.

He acknowledged the efforts of the personnel and civil authorities who continue to assist in the aftermath of this tragedy.

A signage painted on a wall at Hillside Endarasha Academy in Nyeri. (Photo: Handout)

According to the Ministry of Education, Hillside Endarasha Academy has a total of 824 pupils; 402 are boys while 422 are girls.

Out of the 824 learners, 156 boys and 160 girls are boarders while the rest are day scholars.

The dormitory that caught fire had 152 pupils.

As a result, President William Ruto on Friday evening declared three days of national mourning to honour students who died in the tragedy.

"As a solemn testament to the indelible mark left upon the nation's consciousness by the spirits of the seventeen departed children, Kenya shall observe three days of national mourning," Ruto stated.

To honour the memory of the victims, the Head of State directed that the flags of the Republic of Kenya and the East African Community (EAC) be flown at half-mast during the period of mourning.

The flags will be lowered from dawn on Monday, September 9, 2024, until sunset on Wednesday, September 11, 2024.

This directive applies to the State House, all Kenyan Diplomatic Missions, public buildings, public grounds, military bases, posts, stations, naval vessels, and throughout the entire country.

Detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) have also been deployed from Nairobi to assist in piecing together the events leading up to the fire.