MITOOMA.
At least 54 students of Kyeibare Girls School in Mitooma District, are counting loses after an inferno destroyed the dormitory property leaving all their personal effects in ruins .
The blaze is suspected to have started at 5:40am on Friday in the Australia dormitory.
According Doreen Ainomugisha, a Senior Four candidate , said all her belongings were burnt except her school uniform which she was putting on.
“It was abrupt and fire caught up the dormitory very fast. Something frustrating is that I had my money for the trip, my pass slip was also burnt and it is hard to process a Primary Seven pass slip, all my clothings were burnt and my pads but the best thing is that all my friends are okay,” she said.
Fausta Natasha, another Senior Four candidate , said they were attending their morning preps when they suddenly saw their dormitory bursting into flames.
“Our scholastic materials were destroyed, for example my pass slips, bags, birth certificates and since we are in registration period, I have been left with nothing. I request the government to help us because most of us don’t have anything. For example our suitcases and beddings were all burnt,” she said.
Ms Olive Nuwasasira, the head teacher, appreciated the community, including the boda boda cyclists, who rushed to the school when the blaze broke out to save the lives of the students.
“We have not lost any child or even had any injury apart from the property that was burnt to ashes,” she said. She added that they suspect the fire was caused by an electoral short circuit due to the recent power outages.
Ms Nuwasasira appealed to well-wishers to come to the rescue of the 54 students who were accommodated in the ill-fated dormitory.
“Only property was destroyed, so I want to tell the parents that students are with us in classes and we know we shall settle though it requires us to have money to procure some of the property students may need and we are going to send messages to parents of students affected,” she said.
The Greater Bushenyi Police Spokesperson, Mr Apollo Tayebwa, confirmed the incident and said investigations are ongoing.
“We have started the investigations as there was no loss of life. The witness statements have been recorded and the scene was examined by the CID officer Mitooma and their team,” he said.
Mr Tayebwa said preliminary investigations suggest that the fire was caused by an electrical short circuit, though investigations are still ongoing.
“We commend the swift response by the school which helped prevent what could have been a tragic outcome,” he said.