A fire broke out at Hillside Endarasha Academy in Nyeri, about 150 kilometres (93 miles) north of Nairobi, according to African media.
The blaze engulfed the dormitory and turned it to ashes. Kenya police spokesperson Resila Onyango told local media that rescuers took the injured students to a nearby hospital where they received treatment for severe burns.
There are 17 fatalities from this incident and there are also others who were taken to hospital with serious injuries. The bodies recovered at the scene were burnt beyond recognition. We are investigating the cause and will take necessary action.
Local media reported that the fire caused such extensive damage that it was difficult to identify the victims as many were burnt beyond recognition. Authorities launched an investigation to determine the cause of the incident.
Nine female students died in 2017 when a fire erupted at Moi Girls’ School in Nairobi.