Utumishi Girls Fire Suspects Reveal Reasons for Arson Attack

Fresh details have emerged regarding the dormitory fire at Utumishi Girls Senior School, with investigations revealing what allegedly motivated the students suspected of orchestrating the incident.

Investigators say the seven girls linked to the fire told detectives that frustrations over academic schedules, financial demands from the school, and influence from peers played a role in the events leading up to the blaze.

According to preliminary findings, the students reportedly expressed dissatisfaction after the school administration moved examinations from June 16 to June 2.

The students also reportedly raised concerns over a planned cultural event, claiming they were required to contribute financially towards its organisation.

Investigators further believe peer influence may have contributed to the unrest, with reports suggesting some of the students had been influenced by friends at a neighbouring boys’ school that had recently experienced a strike.

Authorities have established that the plan to set the dormitory on fire was allegedly conceived at around 9 p.m. before being executed roughly three hours later.

Forensic examination of CCTV footage reportedly captured key moments leading up to the incident, with investigators claiming that matchboxes and paraffin used during the attack may have been obtained hours before the fire broke out.

Reports indicate that Form Three students at the school retire to bed at 9:35 p.m., while Form Four students are expected to be in their dormitories by 10:35 p.m.

Meanwhile, homicide detectives investigating the case suspect that more people may have been involved, arguing that the alleged use of paraffin raises questions about whether external assistance may have been provided in obtaining the fuel.

The suspects will be arraigned in court on Tuesday, June 2.

CCTV footage revealed the final moments before the deadly fire broke out at Utumishi Girls Senior Secondary School.

The footage captures a group of students moving through the dormitory moments before flames engulfed the building.

According to details emerging from the footage, the events unfolded at around ten minutes past midnight on Thursday, May 28, when five students were captured walking inside the dormitory.

The footage shows them tiptoeing between sleeping areas while appearing to confirm whether fellow students had already fallen asleep.

The group was first captured near cube 11 before moving toward cube 13, where they briefly disappeared from camera view.

Approximately 20 seconds later, the students reappeared, but this time appearing to move with urgency.

The CCTV footage shows two students stopping near cube 11, where they are believed to have lit a fire before throwing it inside and quickly moving to another cube, where they repeated the same.

The students then proceeded to a third cube, where they again threw fire before quickly running downstairs.

Within moments, some students woke up after noticing flames and smoke before raising the alarm.

Panic quickly spread as students scrambled to escape while thick smoke engulfed the dormitory building.

By the time rescue efforts began, 16 students had lost their lives in what has become one of the country’s most tragic school disasters.