Kalungu, (UG):– The Territorial Police in Kalungu District has launched investigations into a Friday morning fire that gutted a girls’ dormitory at God Cares Primary School in Kirinnya Zone, Lukaya Town Council destroying pupils’ property worth millions.
The 4:30 am fire is said to have started in the wee hours of Friday morning as learners were sleeping, but the matron was able to detect it early enough and alert them to flee the burning dormitory.
Police and school authorities confirmed that Pupils’ materials like beddings, books, clothes and utensils among others all went up in flames but none of the 31 pupils in the affected dormitories sustained injuries.
Some of the eyewitnesses who spoke about the incident narrated how they were woken up by an alarm from the school matron which forced them to rush to the school.
“We had to rush to support because the school is in very close vicinity and we have worked together as a community and school to rescue lives and to put out the fire,” Mr Paul Kaakira, a neighbour of the school said on Friday morning.
The school headteacher, Ms Maria Emma Matovu Kusemererwa speaking to the media told journalists that the actual cause of the inferno was still unknown as police investigate the incident further.
“We appreciate the police, the team at the school and the neighbours for an urgent response that saw all lives rescued without any injury, unfortunately, their property was lost,” she noted.
Southern Regional Police Spokesperson, Mr Twaha Kasirye confirmed the incident and said police are still investigating the cause of the fire. He urged school proprietors to install smoke detectors and enough firefighting equipment.
“We ask owners of schools to put in place mechanisms of preventing and fighting fire outbreaks, like in this case, fire extinguishers were got from a neighbouring school and I am sure the quick intervention of both police and community deterred severe loss,” Mr Kasirye said.
This is the first school fire incident in the region since the new academic term opened on February 5.
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