Day scholars at Mbarara Senior Secondary School were on Friday morning sent back home after one of the school dormitories caught fire.

The fire started at 09:45 am in Nyerere House boy’s dormitory where over 78 learners from the boarding section in Senior One and Two reside. Students allege that they saw smoke coming out of the dormitory and rushed to find out what was happening only to find the building burning.

The Deputy Headteacher in charge of Academics, Monica Ashaba, says that the students were attending campaigns to elect student leaders by the time fire broke out. Ashaba says that students run to quell the fire unsuccessfully until Police Fire Brigade arrived.

Rwizi Regional Police Spokesperson Kasasira Samson says the Police Fire brigade was able to put out the fire before it spread across other dormitories. He confirms that no one has died or sustained injuries in the incident although properties worth millions was completely destroyed by the fire. The fire destroyed mattresses, clothes, books, shoes, and basins among others.

He says the school has temporarily closed for day students to help decongest the school for safety purposes. 

Kasasira says the exact cause of the fire is yet to be established as inquiries into the matter have started.

Several schools have burned this year since they reopened in January 2022, the fires have largely been attributed to acts of arson.

In June 08, a  fire broke out at four dormitories in Bwera Secondary School in Mpodwe Lhubiriha Town Council, Kasese District leaving property worth over 10m shillings damaged.

The fire that gutted the boy’s dormitories while students were attending prep in class.  Properties including mattresses, books, jerry cans, clothes, and money, among others were damaged in the process.

Prior to that, two separate schools in kampala  were destroyed in fire after two  learners  set them ablaze.

The misbehaving pupils aged 11 and 16 belonging to Young Elite Primary School in Kasokoso and MH Junior School Nabbingo, respectively,both admitted to starting fires at both schools because they were fed up with learning.