An early morning fire at a private religious school in the Malaysian capital of Kuala Lumpur killed 24 people Thursday.

Fire officials say the pre-dawn blaze at the Darul Quran Ittifaqiyah broke out in the top floor of the dormitory building where the students were sleeping. The victims -- 22 boys between the ages of 13 and 17, and two adult teachers -- were unable to escape because the only entrance to the sleeping quarters was blocked by the fire, and the windows covered by iron grills.

Witnesses say the students could be heard screaming for help as the fire raged. Fire officials say they likely died of smoke inhalation.

Eighteen other residents in the school were rescued, with six of them hospitalized in critical condition.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation, but officials believe it was started by an electrical short circuit.

馬來西亞首都吉隆坡一所私人宗教學校星期四凌晨起火，造成24人喪生。

消防官員說，這起拂曉前發生的火災是在學校宿舍樓頂樓發生的，遇難者包括22個年齡在13到17歲之間的男學生和兩名老師。因為通往宿舍的唯一出口被大火封死，而窗戶上又安裝了鐵柵欄，所以他們無法逃生。

目擊者說，隨著火勢的蔓延，他們可以聽到學生的呼叫聲。消防官員說，遇難者可能是因為吸入濃煙而死。

學校里另外18個人獲得營救，其中6人住院治療，情況危急。

起火原因目前還在調查之中，但是有關官員相信，火是電線短路引起的。

An early morning fire at a private religious school in the Malaysian capital of Kuala Lumpur killed 24 people Thursday.

Fire officials say the pre-dawn blaze at the Darul Quran Ittifaqiyah broke out in the top floor of the dormitory building where the students were sleeping. The victims -- 22 boys between the ages of 13 and 17, and two adult teachers -- were unable to escape because the only entrance to the sleeping quarters was blocked by the fire, and the windows covered by iron grills.

Witnesses say the students could be heard screaming for help as the fire raged. Fire officials say they likely died of smoke inhalation.

Eighteen other residents in the school were rescued, with six of them hospitalized in critical condition.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation, but officials believe it was started by an electrical short circuit.

馬來西亞首都吉隆坡一所私人宗教學校星期四凌晨起火，造成24人喪生。

消防官員說，這起拂曉前發生的火災是在學校宿舍樓頂樓發生的，遇難者包括22個年齡在13到17歲之間的男學生和兩名老師。因為通往宿舍的唯一出口被大火封死，而窗戶上又安裝了鐵柵欄，所以他們無法逃生。

目擊者說，隨著火勢的蔓延，他們可以聽到學生的呼叫聲。消防官員說，遇難者可能是因為吸入濃煙而死。

學校里另外18個人獲得營救，其中6人住院治療，情況危急。

起火原因目前還在調查之中，但是有關官員相信，火是電線短路引起的。