A fire at a school in central Kenya early Friday morning has killed 16 students and left 14 others severely injured, authorities confirmed.

The blaze broke out at Hillside Endarasha Academy in Nyeri, about 150 kilometers (93 miles) north of Nairobi, engulfing a dormitory and reducing it to ashes.

Kenya police spokesperson Resila Onyango told local media that emergency responders transported the injured students to a nearby hospital, where they are being treated for severe burns.

The fire caused such extensive damage that identifying the victims has been difficult as many were burned beyond recognition, according to a local TV network.

Authorities have launched an investigation to determine the cause of the fire.

In September 2017, a fire at Moi Girls' School in Nairobi killed nine students, later determined to be an act of arson.