Three other children were injured in the blaze at Hami Junior School in Wakiso District as police investigate the cause and urge schools and other facilities to strengthen fire safety measures.
Two pupils have died and three others sustained injuries after a fire gutted a boys’ dormitory at Hami Junior School in Maganjo B Zone, Wakiso District.
The fire broke out at about 10:30am on Monday, October 19, triggering a rescue operation involving police officers and nearby residents.
The deceased were identified as Rania Namusoke, eight, a Primary One pupil, and Abdul Shakur Bwete, 10, a Primary Three pupil.
The three injured children were identified as Yusuf Miyingo Alcham, 13, Hamidu Muyimba, nine, and Hasadu Kazibwe, seven. They were rushed to Bethel Medical Centre for first aid.
Other pupils were rescued from the dormitory by residents and police officers who responded to the incident.
The bodies of the deceased were taken to the City Mortuary at Mulago for post-mortem examinations as investigators sought to establish the cause of the fire.
Preliminary information indicates that the affected dormitory had wooden partitions and double- and triple-decker beds, raising questions about fire safety arrangements and the speed at which children could be evacuated in an emergency.
Although the cause of the blaze had not been established by Tuesday, some residents suspected that frequent power fluctuations could have contributed to the incident. Police had not confirmed this theory.
Kampala Metropolitan Police Deputy Spokesperson ASP Luke Owoyesigyire said investigations were ongoing.
The school dormitory blaze came hours before another fire broke out at Ivory Hotel in Nansana West 1B, Wakiso District, on Monday evening.
The hotel fire was reported at about 8:15pm. Preliminary information indicated that sparks had been seen at a transformer before flames appeared on the hotel’s rooftop structure, following intermittent power interruptions.
Owoyesigyire said police had commenced investigations and recorded statements from first responders. He emphasised that the suspected electrical cause remained subject to investigation.
“We urge schools, hotels, businesses, landlords and the general public to strengthen fire prevention measures,” Owoyesigyire said.
The incidents follow another fire at Wandegeya Police Station on October 15, which the police fire brigade managed to contain.
The latest incidents have renewed concerns about fire prevention, electrical safety and emergency preparedness in schools, hotels and other buildings.
School dormitories present particular risks because children may be asleep or crowded together when a fire starts, while wooden partitions and closely arranged beds can complicate evacuation.
Fire safety measures include maintaining clear escape routes, providing accessible and functional firefighting equipment, inspecting electrical installations and conducting regular evacuation drills. Schools and other residential facilities also need emergency procedures that account for the ages and number of occupants.
Police investigations are expected to establish what caused the Maganjo and Nansana fires and whether any safety failures contributed to the incidents.