A fire that started when a student at a central Tanzanian girls' school tried to study in candle light has killed 12 students,the police said.

The incident, which took place yesterday night at Idodi Secondary School in Iringa region, about 460 km southwest of the commercial capital Dar es Salaam, razed a dormitory to the ground.

"It burnt one dormitory completely and 12 students were killed. Another 20 have been injured," Iringa Regional Police Commander Evarist Mangala told Reuters by phone.

"We're still investigating (the cause), but it looks like it's from a candle lit by a student who was trying to study at night."

Mangala said the school had 461 students.

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