EPRA Reveals Electrical Defects That May Have Led to Deadly Endarasha School Fire

An investigation by the Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA) into the September 2024 dormitory fire at Hillside Endarasha Academy has revealed defects in the school’s electrical system.

In an investigation into the fire that claimed 21 lives, EPRA electrical engineer Allan Mogoi told the court that the power distribution of the school’s system failed to meet the standards.

Mogoi said that their investigation uncovered multiple defects, including lack of earthing, poor cable sizing and poor protection in the school’s electrical installation system.

EPRA also established that subsequent power extensions to new buildings were done by someone who is not licensed, which made the school accountable for the 2024 fire.

Electricity Supply

According to EPRA, the school had been supplied with electricity by a single-phase transformer which had an independent metre.

All electrical wires for the buildings originated from the administration block, with many of them failing to meet the size qualifications that are required by EPRA.

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“The wires that were supplying these other blocks measured 4 square millimetres in size, yet we usually require 6 square millimetres when you are doing sub-mains cables,” Mogoi said.

Additionally, the installation in the kitchen failed to meet the required qualifications for hazardous areas, and cables in the kitchen were covered in soot, which exposed them to catching fire.

Defects Discovered

In addition, their system was also protected by an oversized circuit breaker and in the event of a fire, the circuit breaker would fail to function effectively.

Furthermore, EPRA also found that circuit breakers around the school’s electrical system had been poorly graded, reducing the effectiveness of the protection system.

The Authority also established that despite the school significantly expanding over the years, the school did not apply to the electricity supplier, Kenya Power and Lighting Company (KPLC), for additional load.

Cause of Fire Still Unknown

Mogoi told the inquest that by failing to upgrade the electrical supply after increasing demand stressed the existing installation, which could increase the risk of a short circuit.

Also Read: Massive Fire Erupts at Nairobi Building Near Afya Centre, Several Feared Trapped

However, Mogoi said that despite discovering all that, they still could not locate the source of the fire because most electrical extensions in the dormitory were damaged.

The school’s solar backup system was also ruled out as the cause of the fire because the one who installed it said it was off during the fire.

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Hillside Endarasha Academy Administration block
PHOTO/Citizen