The police fear that the number of dead will rise. In the current dormitory, over 150 boys between 10 and 14 years old were resting – and nearly half of them are missing.
We still have 70 children we cannot account for. That does not mean they have died or been injured. The words we use are simply unaccounted for, says Vice President Rigathi Gachagua.
In addition to the 17 confirmed dead, at least 13 students have suffered severe burns.
What caused the fire at the Hillside Endarasha Primary boarding school in Nyeri, north of the capital Nairobi, is being investigated. It is clear that the flames spread quickly in the wooden buildings.
We are investigating and taking necessary measures, says police spokesperson Resila Onyango.
The bodies are burned beyond recognition.
Many relatives have gathered outside the school, but they are receiving very little information.
They say some children managed to escape, but we have not been told where they went. The hope of finding my child is dwindling as time goes on, says a mother, Francis Wachira, to AFP.
Kenya's President William Ruto writes on social media that he is "devastated" over the incident. Those responsible will be held accountable, according to Ruto.
School fires are common in Kenya's many boarding schools. In 2017, ten students died in such a fire in Nairobi.
