At least 17 pupils killed in Kenya school fire

At least 17 pupils have died after a school in central Kenya caught fire on Thursday night, BBC reports citing local police. 

The fire started around midnight in a dorm housing 156 boys, BBC Africa Correspondent Anne Soy says.

There are fears the death toll could rise as more than a dozen others have been taken to hospital with severe burns.

Police spokesperson Resila Onyango told AFP news agency that bodies recovered were "burnt beyond recognition".

"More bodies are likely to be recovered once (the) scene is fully processed," she added.

The ages of the deceased could not be confirmed, but the school has a total of 824 pupils, mostly aged between five and 12.

The cause of the fire at Hillside Endarasha Primary in Nyeri county is not yet known.

More than 150 pupils were in the dormitory that caught fire around midnight, local police boss Pius Murugu said.

The fire spread very fast as most of the buildings in the school are built with timber, according to a journalist from Citizen TV.

The country's President William Ruto calls the fire "horrific" and "devastating", and has ordered an investigation.

Kenyan police have cordoned off the school, according to Kenya Red Cross.

On social media the group say they, alongside a multi-agency response team, are on the ground at the scene.

They are also providing psychological support services to pupils, teachers and affected families.