A fire has made its way through a dormitory in Guyana at night, killing at least 19 students and injuring several others at a boarding school according to authorities said.
The building in the central city of Mahdia was completely engulfed in flames by the time firefighters arrived at about midnight on Monday, the Guyana Fire Service said in a statement.
“This is a horrific incident. It’s tragic. It’s painful,” President Irfaan Ali said, adding that his government was mobilising all possible resources to care for the children.Fourteen children died at the scene and another five in hospital.Six others, including two in critical condition, were airlifted to the capital, Georgetown, while others remained under local hospital care. 
Some 20 students were rescued.Most of the 19 students who died were Indigenous, Mark Ramotar, the director of the police communications department, said.
The dorm usually houses students from Indigenous communities. Police and fire services said they were making investigation on the cause of the fire. “According to one of the female students, who managed to escape, she was awakened by screams and saw a fire in the bathroom area, which quickly spread to other parts of the building,” the police force said in a statement.
Prime Minister Mark Philips and Minister of Education Priya Manickchand visited the site early on Monday, amid heavy rain in the country.
