Bangkok: At least 18 girls aged between three and 12 have been killed when fire swept through a school boarding house in Thailand's northern Chiang Rai province.
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Many of the 38 hill tribe girls were sleeping when fire broke out at a house adjacent the Pithakkiart Witthaya school at 11pm on Sunday, and became trapped inside, officials said.
Police said five injured girls suffered burns, two of them severe, and were hospitalised. Thai television reported that many of the victims were burnt beyond recognition.
Police colonel Prayad Singsin told reporters 17 girls were confirmed dead and two were missing.
The school is home to girls aged from three to 13 , he said.
Police said two girls have been hospitalised with severe burns.
Parents rushed to the school on Monday.
"It's very chaotic here," the school's manager Rewat Wassana told reporters.
"We are in the process of identifying bodies. None of the parents can claim children's bodies yet," he said.
Firefighters said 20 girls were rescued from the building with the help of ladders.
"We were trying to save everyone through the windows but the fire spread vey quickly," said Sawang Momdee, chief of Chiang Rai's fire unit.
The school, operated by a Christian charity, provided free education to hill tribe children. It has been open about five years.
The girls were brought to the town school to study. Many hill tribespeople are beyond the reach of state resources and suffer in their health and development.
Povery for some means resorting to drug smuggling for narcotics gangs in the remote area known as the "Golden Triangle".
