ABUJA, Feb. 5 (Xinhua) -- At least 17 schoolchildren were buried Wednesday after a midnight fire ravaged their dormitory in Nigeria's northwestern state of Zamfara late Tuesday, a local official said Wednesday.

The fire broke out while students were asleep at the Makaranta Mallam Ghali, a faith-based study center in the Kaura-Namoda area of the state, injuring at least 16 others, Mannir Muazu Haidara, chairman of the Kaura-Namoda local government area, told the media.

The fire raged for more than three hours, and local school officials initially believed they had evacuated all the students, about 100 at the time of the incident, witnesses said. However, after the fire was extinguished, it was discovered that not all the students had been evacuated.

They thought no one was left inside, but when they returned after the fire, they found the victims, Abdulrasaq Bello Kaura, a resident, told local Channels Television.

The fire, which broke out on Tuesday night, was reportedly caused by a pile of sticks stored within the school premises and accidentally ignited by an unknown person. An investigation is underway. Enditem

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