Salama school fire: Another pupil dies in hospital as toll rises to 12

The death toll from a dormitory fire at Salama School for the Blind in Mukono District two weeks ago has risen to 12 after another pupil died this morning at Kiruddu hospital.
Damalie Nalugwa was among the six pupils admitted to hospital in critical condition following the October 25 fire that tore through the dormitory as she and other pupils slept.

"Nalugwa has been in critical condition and has also gone to be with the Lord," the school head teacher, Mr Francis Kinubi said.
The other deceased pupils were identified as Shamira Kalema, Patricia Mudondo, Gladys Namuga, Rebecca Josephine Namulondo, Josephine Joseline Namuwonge, Peace Nalumisa, Agnes Nantume, Pretty Prwoth, Veronica Nasali, Ket Nangutu and Patricia Nakaiyima. 
Police are yet to produce the report of their findings into the cause of the fire.

However, a new police report released last week revealed that 17 schools of 40 that caught fire across the country between January 5, 2022 and June 27, 2022 were burnt deliberately.  
Four other fire incidents occurred out of negligence and four were accidental. Police are yet to establish the causes of fire in the remaining 15 cases.
“The fires mostly occur in dormitories when the students are not there, with the exception of Kibedi Junior School and St Mary’s Reparatrix Girls S.S.S. in Entebbe. The first witnesses of the fire are mostly students,” the report is quoted in part.

Whereas police indicate that an unspecified number of culprits have been arrested, seven lives of learners have been lost from the above fires. These fires exclude the ones that happened after June. 
Last month, a fire at Salama School of the Blind in Mukono claimed at least 11 lives.
According to the November 1 circular by the Ministry of Education’s permanent secretary, Ms Ketty Lamaro, they have been informed by police that affected schools are boarding sections and are privately owned. 

The report also indicates that the fires were caused by criminal conduct of students trying to settle personal scores like reacting to disciplinary action by school administration or as a result of quarrels among students.
Police also cited the use of illegal electric equipment by students, unattended electrical appliances, careless handling of cooking materials, unsafe hot electrical metal welding, cutting and repair works as some of the causes.
Failure by the schools administration to implement basic requirements and minimum standards of the Ministry of Education and Sports was also cited among the causes of fire in schools.