A vicious fire that broke out at four dormitories in Bwera Secondary School in Mpodwe Lhubiriha Town Council, Kasese District has left property worth millions of shillings damaged.
The fire that gutted the boy’s dormitories started on Tuesday at 8:00 pm while students were attending prep in class. Student allege that power first went off at the dormitories for a while but when it returned, a loud blast was heard followed by smoke.
Students immediately ran out of their classes but couldn’t make it into their dormitories in time to save properties because of the huge blaze. Properties including mattresses, books, jerry cans, clothes, and money, among others were damaged in the process.
Milton Masereka, the Head teacher says that the management of the schools has resolved to set aside a fund to buy mattresses and uniforms for all the affected students. He estimates that they need about 20 million shillings to assist the affected learners as they make a general assessment of damages made to the buildings.
Masereka also says that they have resolved to provide temporary shelter for the affected students inside the school.
Rev. Canon Janet Muhindo, the School Board Chairperson said that they have already allocated 10 million shillings to replace the students’ property.
During an emergency meeting held on Wednesday at the school premises, parents, teachers, and students raised more than 700,000 Shillings.
The Inspector of Schools for Bukhonzo West, Harriet Masika said they are working with the school management to mobilize for emergence support as they compile a report to the government for additional assistance.
The Rwenzori East Regional Police Commander, John Bosco Otim, told parents that police had dispatched a team of investigators to establish the cause of the fire. He asked for vigilance among children while they are at school.
In 2012, a fire also gutted the dormitories of the same school. The government-aided school founded in 1982 by the parents of Kitalikibi Primary School under the auspices of the Church of Uganda has an enrollment of over 1,000 learners.
