By Our Reporter,
RUBAARE
Police in Ntungamo District are investigating the cause of a fire that ravaged the boys’ dormitory at Rubaare Secondary School in Rubaare Town Council on the evening of Friday, November 15, 2024. The fire destroyed properties worth millions, leaving students, teachers, and parents in shock.
The blaze, which reportedly began around 7:45 PM while students were attending prep lessons, reduced all the belongings in the dormitory to ashes. Items lost in the fire included mattresses, blankets, books, cases, basins, clothes, and all Senior Three pass slips.
Pidson Muhimbise, the hostel patron, the Washington dormitory housed over 120 students, including half of Senior One, Senior Two, Senior Five, and Senior Six students, as well as all Senior Three students.
Ms. Mpeirwe Monic Atukunda, the school headteacher, acknowledged the incident and stated that the fire may have been caused by a lightning strike during heavy rains, which likely resulted in an electrical short circuit.
“By the time the fire brigade arrived, all the students’ belongings had been completely destroyed. Thankfully, no students were harmed or injured,” Ms. Mpeirwe said. She appealed to the Ministry of Education and Sports, the Ministry of Disaster Preparedness, NGOs, and well-wishers to support the school in helping affected students recover their losses.
Bruno Niweahereza, a Senior Three dormitory captain, expressed concern over how students will continue their studies after losing all their books and past papers.
The chairperson of the school’s Board of Governors, Rev. Venerable Canon Yoram Akoragye, alongside Lay Canon Ezekiel Tumwesigye, urged stakeholders and well-wishers to provide economic and social support to ensure the affected learners can resume their studies without further disruption.
Councillor John Kabeho, another board member, emphasized the importance of treating the situation as an emergency. “While it is a relief that no lives were lost, the students urgently need assistance to recover from this tragedy,” he said.
