Ngora school fire sparks fresh police warning on student safety

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Police have renewed calls for stricter safety measures in schools following a fire outbreak at Mukura Union Vision Primary and Secondary School in Ngora district that destroyed students’ property but left no casualties.

Speaking during a weekly security briefing on June 1, 2026, police spokesperson Rusoke Kituuma urged parents, teachers and school administrators to prioritise the safety of learners and school property as schools reopen for the new term.

“We do not want to hear situations where strikes become common, fire outbreaks, indiscipline among students, or cases where school administrators violate the rights of students,” Kituuma said.

The appeal comes as investigators examine a fire that broke out on the morning of May 31, 2026, at Mukura Union Vision Primary and Secondary School in Mukura town council, Ngora district.

According to police, a report of the incident was received at Mukura Police Station at around 9:00 am, prompting the deployment of fire and rescue teams, who managed to contain the blaze.

Preliminary investigations indicate that the fire started in one of the students’ hostel rooms while learners were attending morning prayers.

Although no injuries or deaths were recorded, students lost personal belongings in the affected room.

Police suspect the fire may have originated from a mobile phone that had been left charging in the dormitory.

Investigators believe a student left the phone connected to a charger before going for prayers and that a defect in the device or charger may have triggered the fire.

Police said the incident highlights the dangers associated with the unauthorised charging of electronic devices in dormitories and hostels.

Authorities called on school administrators to enforce stricter controls on the use of electrical appliances, conduct regular inspections of dormitories and ensure fire safety equipment is available and functional.

Police also urged schools to engage fire and rescue services for regular fire drills, noting that some institutions have never conducted such exercises despite operating for decades.

“There are schools that have never had a single fire drill in the last 20 years,” police noted.

The force further reminded schools with swimming pools to maintain adequate safety supervision to prevent accidents involving learners.

Investigations into the cause of the fire are ongoing.