eleven people, kids mostly, they died in a fire occurred in a student residence school for the blind of Uganda, this Tuesday morning, while the students slept.
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“The cause of the fire is unknown, but so far 11 dead have been confirmed … while six are in critical condition,” police said on Twitter. The tragedy occurred early Tuesday at the Salama school for the blind in Mukono district, east of the capital Kampala.
The cause of the fire is unknown, but so far 11 deaths have been confirmed (…) while six are in critical condition
Police said an investigation is underway to find the cause of the fire and more details would be released. “Most of the deceased are children.“, said General Kahinda Otafiire, Minister of Internal Affairs.
“Our deepest condolences to the families of the deceased (…), we will investigate the causes of the fire and, if there are culprits, they will be arrested,” he added. The center’s director, Francis Kirube, said the flames spread to the bedrooms while the children slept.
Images captured by Ugandan television showed the building, charred but largely still standing. A team of forensic experts, dressed in protective gear, arrived at the school. Parents, meanwhile, gathered nearby.
Woman reacts to learning of the death of her granddaughter in a fire at her school.
ISAAC KASAMANI. EFE.
I have no words to describe the pain I’m experiencing
“I have no words to describe the pain I am experiencing,” said Richard Muhimba, father of a deceased child who lives in Mukono. “I went to visit him on Saturday, he was in good health, and three days later he’s dead,” he said into the phone before hanging up, heartbroken.
A friend said the boy was 15 years old and had four brothers. The school was built in April 1999 and serves several dozen children and young people between the ages of 6 and 25.
princess annesister of king charles iiiwas due to visit the school on Friday, as part of a trip to mark the 60th anniversary of Uganda’s independence from the UK.
Other fires in schools in the country
This East African country has seen several school fires in recent years. In November 2018, 11 children died and 20 others suffered serious burns in a suspected arson attack at a boarding school in the south of the country.
Remains of the school attacked by fire in Uganda.
ISAAC KASAMANI. EFE
In April 2008, 18 schoolgirls and one adult died in another fire in their school dormitory, in a town about 30 km from the capital.
In March 2006, at least 13 children were killed and several injured in another fire at an Islamic school in the west of the country.
In July of that same year, six children died in a similar fire in the east of the country.
AFP.
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