KABALE – A fire outbreak has destroyed property worth millions of shillings at Child Care Nursery and Primary School in Kabale District, leaving significant damage but no loss of life.
The incident occurred on Monday night at around 9:00 PM at the school located in Karukuba cell, Ntarabana parish, Buhara sub-county. According to the school director, Innocent Mbeinenamukama, the fire broke out in one of the rooms on the third floor, which was being used as a boys’ dormitory.
Mbeinenamukama explained that the fire started suddenly and spread quickly within the dormitory. “We were alerted by some of the staff and nearby residents who noticed smoke coming from the upper floor. When we checked, the fire had already intensified in the boys’ dormitory,” he said.
“We immediately contacted the fire brigade, which responded in time to prevent a bigger disaster.”
Firefighters from the police fire brigade responded swiftly after receiving the alert through a telephone call. A fire tender, registration number UP 4719, led by Sergeant Andrew Bikorwomuhangi and commanded by Senior Superintendent of Police Moses Muhanguzi, was dispatched to the scene.
Upon arrival, the fire had already engulfed the dormitory room, destroying property including beds, mattresses, books, and students’ clothing. However, the brigade managed to contain and extinguish the fire, preventing it from spreading to other parts of the building and surrounding areas.
The Kigezi Regional Police Spokesperson, ASP Elly Maate, confirmed the incident and praised the swift response by the fire brigade and the community. “Our team responded promptly and managed to contain the fire before it could spread to the rest of the structure. We commend the school administration and residents for their quick action in reporting the incident,” he said.
Maate further confirmed that no injuries or fatalities were recorded. “Fortunately, there was no loss of life. At the time of the incident, students were safe, and the affected area was quickly evacuated,” he added.
Preliminary assessments indicate that property worth approximately 30 million shillings was destroyed. According to police, the suspected cause of the fire is a short circuit.
Maate cautioned school administrators and the general public to prioritize electrical safety. “We suspect that the fire could have been caused by a short circuit. We urge all institutions, especially schools with boarding sections, to carry out regular inspections of their electrical systems to avoid such incidents,” he emphasized.
By the time of the incident, several school officials, including the head teacher, Merecerina Ahisibwe, teachers, and members of the local community, were present and assisted in efforts to contain the situation before the arrival of the fire brigade.
