Sixteen pupils killed in Kenya school fire, local police say

Sixteen students person been killed successful a occurrence astatine a boarding schoolhouse successful Gilgil, astir 120km (77 miles) westbound of the Kenyan capital, Nairobi, a policeman told journalists astatine the scene.

Seventy-four different students are being treated successful infirmary aft being injured, helium added.

The occurrence astatine the Utumishi Girls schoolhouse started successful the aboriginal hours of Thursday greeting erstwhile the students were asleep, according to the Kenya Red Cross and police.

Police said search-and-rescue operations were nether mode with authorities yet to found the origin of the fire. The Kenya Red Cross said exigency responders were connected crushed to connection support.

"It is simply a bittersweet and saddening situation," constabulary commandant Masoud Mwinyi said, speaking to parents and crowds extracurricular the school.

Fires are not uncommon successful Kenyan boarding schools, with respective deadly incidents reported successful caller years. Overcrowding and the nonaccomplishment to travel information guidelines person often been blamed for the precocious fig of casualties.

Mwinyi said investigations were ongoing. The schoolhouse has been cordoned off, with lone parents being allowed inside.