Kenya: school fire claims at least 21 lives

A devastating fire at a school in Nyeri in central Kenya has risen to at least 21 after more bodies were found on the weekend, according to reports.

Nineteen of them were recovered at the scene at Hillside Endarasha Primary School, while two children died of their injuries in hospital.

“We were able to get 19 bodies. These bodies are burnt greatly, to a great extent, to such an extent that it would be very impossible for their parents to be able to identify them,” said government pathologist, Johansen Oduor.

It is being reported that DNA testing  will begin to identify the children, but officials warn this will take days.

The fire razed a dormitory that was housing 156 boys aged between 10 and 14.

More than 100 of them have been accounted while at least 17 children remain missing.

The government has urged those who rescued students in the night’s blaze to bring them back to the school to help with tracing.

The site has been sealed off for analysis but the cause of the fire still remains unknown.

President William Ruto has declared a three-day national mourning period to start.