[PHOTOS] Hillside Academy Fire: Parents, students receive counseling after tragedy

In a heartbreaking incident, 17 pupils were confirmed dead after a fire engulfed Hillside Endarasha Academy in Nyeri last night.

The tragedy has left parents and students in profound shock.

The affected families and students are now receiving counseling in separate rooms to help them cope with the devastating loss.

One of the dormitories housing the students was razed down killing the 17.

The school had 824 pupils.

According to Nyeri County Commissioner Pius Murugu, the individual dorm that caught fire had 152 pupils.

Murugu said the dormitory caught fire at about 3.00 am and that the wooden structures saw the fire spread fast despite the quick response of disaster management teams from the county government.

"Most of the structures in this school are wooden which worsened the fire," he said.

The county commissioner who is leading a multi-agency team that arrived at the school said the dead learners could not be saved.