12 people killed as fire engulfs student dormitory in Turkey

A massive fire at a student dormitory in southern Turkey has killed 12 people.

The girls dormitory in the town of Aladag housed 34 secondary school students and according to a local official, many of them were inside when the fire swept through the multi-storey building late Tuesday evening.

Adana Mayor Huseyin Sozlu said 11 of those killed in the incident were students and the other victim was a female staff member.

At least 22 injured girls were also rushed to the hospital as the fire continued to blaze long after rescue teams arrived. Some of the injuries were caused when terrified students jumped out the window to escape the flames.

The dormitory housed girls from nearby villages where there are no schools, according to CNN Turk.

An initial investigation suggested the fire was caused by an electrical fault but the flames spread rapidly because of the building's wooden interior, officials said.