MAGANJO, WAKISO DISTRICT — Two children have died following a fire that gutted a dormitory at Hami Junior School in Maganjo, Wakiso District, leaving the school community and residents in shock.
The victims have been identified as Rania Namusoke, a Primary One pupil, and Abdu Shakul Bwete, a Primary Three pupil. The two children reportedly died after the fire broke out in the school dormitory during the night.
According to reports published by Daily Monitor, the fire swept through the dormitory, putting the lives of the young learners at risk as efforts were made to rescue those trapped inside the building.
Other pupils were rescued through a joint effort involving local residents and police officers who responded to the emergency. The rescue operation helped save other children from the burning dormitory.
The incident has raised fresh concerns about the safety of boarding facilities in schools, particularly the measures in place to protect young learners during emergencies such as fires.
Residents in Maganjo suspect that frequent power fluctuations may have contributed to the outbreak. However, the suspected connection between the electricity fluctuations and the fire has not been officially established.
The exact cause of the fire remains unknown, and further investigations are needed to determine what triggered the incident and how the flames spread through the dormitory.
The deaths have highlighted the importance of effective fire-safety measures in schools, including accessible emergency exits, functional fire extinguishers, fire alarms and regular emergency drills for learners and staff.
As the school community and affected families mourn the two children, attention is expected to focus on establishing the circumstances surrounding the tragedy and strengthening measures to prevent similar incidents in schools across Wakiso District and Uganda at large.
