The death toll from a devastating blaze at a primary school dormitory in a semi-rural area of central Kenya has risen to 21 children, the government said on Saturday, Paralel.Az reports citing AFP.

"The investigations have been concluded around the fatalities that have been confirmed here and we are sad to report that 19 bodies have been recovered from this scene," government spokesman Isaac Mwaura told reporters, adding that two others had died in hospital.

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A fire killed 17 boys when it tore through the dormitory in which they were sleeping at a boarding school in central Kenya in the early hours of Friday, police said, Paralel.Az reports citing Reuters.

"We saw several children in there that had been burnt," Phillip Gathogo, a local resident, told reporters.

"I was just lucky to save one of them, but I heard that he later died. It was a very troubling and sad tragedy."

The blaze occurred at the Hillside Endarasha Academy in Nyeri, a primary boarding school for young students about 150 km (93 miles) from the capital Nairobi.

Government spokesperson Isaac Mwaura said the boys were in grades 4 to 8, putting their ages at about 9 to 13-years-old. He said in a statement the dormitory housed 156 students.

"We have lost 17 pupils in the fire incident while 14 are injured," police spokesperson Resila Onyango said. "Our team is at the scene at the moment."

Vice President Rigathi Gachagua said 70 pupils remained unaccounted for, although he added that some may have been taken home by their parents in the night.

Citizen Television said the fire had burnt the victims beyond recognition.

The cause of the fire was not immediately clear.

"Many children managed to jump out and get to safety, but we do not know how many were successful," Interior Minister Kithure Kindiki said while visiting the school.