KUALA LUMPUR, Sep 14 ― Twenty-four students and teachers died after a fire broke out at an Islamic religious (tahfiz) school at Jalan Datuk Keramat here this morning.

TThe Star news portal cited the Fire and Rescue Department receiving a call about the fire at 5.41am.

"Based on our information at the moment, 25 students and teachers have died in the fire,” the department was quoted saying.

The police clarified the death toll later and said 24 people had died, comprising 22 students aged between 13 and 17 and two teachers.

The Fire and Rescue Department was previously reported to have raised concerns about fire safety measures at private and unregistered tahfiz schools.

Earlier this year, two family-run tahfiz schools caught fire in Baling, Kedah and Sabak Bernam, Selangor respectively, though no one died in the incidents.

New Straits Times Online reported that at least 15 charred bodies were found on the second floor of the three-storey building. The blaze reportedly started in one of the dormitory rooms on the third floor.

According to BH Online, 20 students were saved when they jumped from the second floor of the building.