Fire guts Najjera school dormitory
Jul 31, 2008
FIRE broke out in a dormitory at Najjeera High School and destroyed property of nine students. The school’s head teacher, Peter Simbwa, said the incident happened at 9:00pm while the students were in class.
By Herbert Ssempogo
and Nuliat Nakiwala
FIRE broke out in a dormitory at Najjeera High School and destroyed property of nine students. The school’s head teacher, Peter Simbwa, said the incident happened at 9:00pm while the students were in class.
He said the fire, whose cause had not been established, started from one section of the dormitory, burning the three triple-decker beds.
A woman who lives nearby, saw the fire and raised an alarm. Residents and students battled the fire and by the time the fire brigade got to the school, the fire had been contained.
The New Vision reporter was told on Tuesday that the structure used as a dormitory was not licensed by the Ministry of Education.
Kira division Police chief Samuel Bamuzibire said a matron, Joyce Abigaba, was arrested in connection with the incident.
He said Abigaba was in an adjoining room at the time of the fire.
“She is going to be interrogated. We want to know what caused the fire,†Bamuzibire stated.
Close to 40 fires have broken out in schools across the country since the April inferno in which 20 pupils of Budo Junior School died.
A total of 42 people, most of them pupils and students, have since appeared in court in connection with cases suspected to be arson.
Some have been released on bail.
The CID acting commissioner, Norbert Opio, said the Director of Public Prosecution had discontinued investigations into seven cases owing to the age of the pupils implicated.
“It also emerged that some cases were accidental,†he said, adding that investigations into 11 cases were underway.
and Nuliat Nakiwala
FIRE broke out in a dormitory at Najjeera High School and destroyed property of nine students. The school’s head teacher, Peter Simbwa, said the incident happened at 9:00pm while the students were in class.
He said the fire, whose cause had not been established, started from one section of the dormitory, burning the three triple-decker beds.
A woman who lives nearby, saw the fire and raised an alarm. Residents and students battled the fire and by the time the fire brigade got to the school, the fire had been contained.
The New Vision reporter was told on Tuesday that the structure used as a dormitory was not licensed by the Ministry of Education.
Kira division Police chief Samuel Bamuzibire said a matron, Joyce Abigaba, was arrested in connection with the incident.
He said Abigaba was in an adjoining room at the time of the fire.
“She is going to be interrogated. We want to know what caused the fire,†Bamuzibire stated.
Close to 40 fires have broken out in schools across the country since the April inferno in which 20 pupils of Budo Junior School died.
A total of 42 people, most of them pupils and students, have since appeared in court in connection with cases suspected to be arson.
Some have been released on bail.
The CID acting commissioner, Norbert Opio, said the Director of Public Prosecution had discontinued investigations into seven cases owing to the age of the pupils implicated.
“It also emerged that some cases were accidental,†he said, adding that investigations into 11 cases were underway.