Sixteen pupils killed in Kenya school fire, local police say

Sixteen students have been killed in a fire at a boarding school in Gilgil, about 120km (77 miles) west of the Kenyan capital, Nairobi, a policeman told journalists at the scene.

The fire at the Utumishi Girls school started in the early hours of Thursday morning when the students were asleep, according to the Kenya Red Cross and police.

Police said search and rescue operations were under way with authorities yet to establish the cause of the fire. The Kenya Red Cross said emergency responders were on ground to offer support.

"It is a sad and saddening situation," police commander Masoud Mwinyi said, speaking to parents and crowds outside the school.

Fires are not uncommon in Kenyan boarding schools, with several deadly incidents reported in recent years. The failure to follow safety guidelines have frequently been blamed for the high number of casualties.

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