Kamuli Girls primary school closed after Friday fire 

Kamuli Girls Primary School has been temporarily closed following a Friday night fire that gutted the P7 dormitory, resulting in the loss of all the pupils’ belongings.

The burnt dormitory was housing more than 100 pupils, all of whom escaped unharmed. The learners attribute their safe escape to the presence of multiple exit points and spaces between the beds. A pupil said that the fire was first detected on the rooftop before spreading to other parts of the dormitory.

They promptly alerted their warden, who rang the emergency bell, allowing all the girls to evacuate the dormitory before it was entirely consumed by flames. A teacher, also preferring anonymity, revealed that the fire initially produced smoke and minor flames. 

They attempted to control it internally but decided to call the fire brigade when significant flames erupted from the rooftop. Joseph Musoke, the Kamuli Municipality education officer, explained that a meeting was convened, involving teachers, parents, and police authorities, which unanimously decided to temporarily close the school.

He said this is meant to allow for a thorough investigation into the circumstances that led to the fire. Musoke says that during the closure, the students will be provided with psychosocial support from their families, as they recover from the trauma.

He emphasized that the school would reopen only after ensuring that all necessary measures are in place to prevent similar future accidents and to ensure the safety of both learners and teaching staff. 

Musoke encouraged parents to provide their children with study materials to allow for revision sessions in preparation for their upcoming primary leaving examinations (PLE).