Kenyan police say 17 pupils killed in school dormitory blaze

Part of a dormitory following a fire at the Hillside Endarasha Primary in Nyeri, Kenya (AP)

A fire in a school dormitory in Kenya killed 17 pupils and seriously injured 13 others, police said on Friday.

There are fears the death toll may rise, officers said.

The cause of the fire on Thursday night at Hillside Endarasha Primary in Nyeri county was being investigated, police spokesperson Resila Onyango said.

“We are investigating the cause and will take necessary action,” she said.

Kenya Red Cross personnel and relatives comfort a woman following the fire at the Hillside Endarasha Primary in Nyeri (AP)

President William Ruto called the news “devastating” and said action would be taken against those responsible.

“I instruct relevant authorities to thoroughly investigate this horrific incident. Those responsible will be held to account,” he wrote on the social media platform X, formerly Twitter.

His deputy, Rigathi Gachagua, urged school administrators to ensure that safety guidelines recommended by the education ministry for boarding schools are being followed.

In 2017, 10 high school students died in a school fire in the capital, Nairobi.