A fire outbreak at Balawoli Primary School in Kamuli has left a 12-year-old boy dead, with his charred remains found inside a boys’ dormitory that was completely gutted by flames late Sunday night.
The victim, identified as Famba Bernard, a Primary Five pupil and son to the school matron, was burnt to death after flames engulfed the dorm at around 11:00 PM, leaving nothing but rubble and ash behind. Witnesses say Bernard’s two siblings managed to escape and raised the alarm but by the time help arrived, the young boy had already been trapped inside.
Regional police spokesperson ASP Micheal Kasadha says the matron, who was stationed at the girls’ dorm about 70 metres away, rushed to the scene but was too late to save her son.
He adds that the Police, led by the District Police Commander, arrived quickly and managed to salvage a few items. However, most pupils lost mattresses, books, and their entire school term’s belongings in the blaze.
Early police reports suggest that a short circuit could have triggered the fire, but full investigations are underway. The boy’s body was taken to Kamuli General Hospital mortuary for a postmortem.
Kasadha described the incident as “deeply tragic” and assured the public that a detailed inquiry is being carried out to get to the bottom of the fatal fire.
