KUALA LUMPUR - Two 16-year-old teenagers were charged with murder on Thursday (Sept 28) over a fire at a religious school in Kuala Lumpur which killed 23 people.

Another five teens were charged with self administration of drugs, the New Straits Times (NST) reported.

Due to their age, the two teens facing murder charge will escape the death penalty, Malay Mail Online said. No pleas were recorded from them.

The seven were accused of intentionally setting fire to the Darul Quran Ittifaqiyah tahfiz school on Sept 14, killing 21 students and two teachers. All the accused were unrepresented.

There was media frenzy on Thursday as about 50 members of the media crowded outside the courtroom, NST reported. The magistrate closed the courtroom to all except the families of the teenagers, said the report.

Their case was scheduled for mention on Nov 28.

The fire killed 21 students and two teachers, who were also wardens. They were trapped in the hostel on the top floor of the three-storey building.