At least 16 students have died after a fire swept through a dormitory at Utumishi Girls School in Gilgil.
According to authorities, the fire broke out overnight, leaving dozens of students injured.
Julius Ogamba confirmed on Thursday that 79 students were injured in the incident.
The exact cause of the fire has not yet been established.
Police and emergency teams were immediately deployed to the school, which is located in Nakuru County, about 120 kilometres from Nairobi.
Footage shown on local television reportedly captured damaged buildings, broken windows, and smoke-stained walls following the fire.
Senior police officer Masoud Mwinyi said officers were also searching nearby areas for students who may have fled during the chaos.
“Many people went out because of shock, fear and anxiety, and it was at night,” he explained.
Kenya has experienced several deadly school fires over the years.
Government records reportedly showed that more than 60 cases of arson were recorded in public secondary schools in 2018 alone.
Some previous investigations linked the fires to student protests over strict discipline and poor living conditions in schools.
In 2024, another school fire in nearby Nyeri County killed 21 students at a boarding school.
In 2017, 10 students also died in a school fire in Nairobi, with a student later charged with murder in connection with the incident.