Nakuru — At least 10 students have been confirmed dead following a devastating overnight fire that razed a dormitory at Utumishi Girls Academy in Nakuru.

Rift Valley Regional Police Commander Samuel Ndanyi confirmed the deaths on Thursday morning, saying rescue efforts were still underway at the school as emergency teams continued searching through the burnt dormitory.

The fire reportedly broke out late at about 1 am while students were asleep, rapidly spreading through the building and causing panic within the school compound.

Firefighters, police officers and rescue personnel were deployed to the scene as efforts intensified to contain the blaze and evacuate students from the affected dormitory.

Several students were also injured in the incident and were rushed to nearby hospitals for treatment, according to police.

Ndanyi said investigations had already begun to establish the cause of the deadly fire, even as authorities worked to account for all students affected by the tragedy.