BY NDUMISO TSHUMA
An electrical iron left plugged in overnight has been identified as the source of the fire that destroyed a dormitory at Matopo High School over the weekend.
Matabeleland South police spokesperson Inspector Loveness Mangena said the fire was discovered by a student who had woken up around 5 a.m. to drink water.
The student quickly alerted the others, and they managed to escape unharmed.
“On 4 July 2024, 52 Form One students at Matopo High School retired to bed in their dormitories without noticing anything abnormal. The following day at around 5 a.m., a student woke up to drink some water. He felt intense heat coming from the common room and discovered that it was engulfed by fire. He woke up the other students, and they managed to escape unhurt,” said Inspector Mangena.
The students then informed their boarding master about the incident, and it was promptly reported to ZRP Matopo and the Bulawayo Fire Brigade.
Inspector Mangena urged the public to be more vigilant with their electric appliances, warning that leaving them on without supervision can lead to unwanted fire breakouts.
“We urge the public to make sure that all electric gadgets and appliances are switched off to avoid becoming victims of such incidents. Whether it is during the day or at night, all electric appliances that may cause a fire must be switched off when done using,” said Mangena.
The Education Secretary of Brethren In Christ Church Schools, Esther Siziba, confirmed that the 52 students affected by the fire were released to their families.
“Fifty-two children were affected in the hostel. We then hired a bus to come and get the 52 students who were affected and leave them in the Central Business District of Bulawayo to spend time with their parents until Wednesday. We are still waiting for the technical answer from the fire brigade on what caused the fire,” said Siziba.
Siziba also stated that the school will work closely with parents and authorities to rebuild and recover from this setback.
