Fire incidents at Oshana school worry principal, teachers

Following a fire on Saturday at Uukwiiyongwe Combined School in the Oshana region, which destroyed furniture and textbooks, another fire broke out at the same school on Sunday night.

On Saturday, the fire destroyed a storeroom, furniture, textbooks and several other items such as pots, wheelbarrows and water containers.

The cause of both incidents is unknown at this stage.

Speaking to The Namibian yesterday, acting school principal Tronella Shivute said the fire occurred at around 03h00.

Shivute said the fire was discovered by a security guard on night duty.

“The fire was just burning books and files in a cupboard. Until now, we do not know what the cause is. The classroom was locked and windows closed. This classroom is in a different block and we use it as a staffroom to keep textbooks and other materials,” Shivute said.

She said it was raining when the fire occurred.

“According to the security guard, he was in the classroom next to the one where the fire was burning but he did not see or sense any smoke. There was no power that day and it was dark. Apparently, after it stopped raining, the guard went outside, switched on his phone light and saw smoke coming from a classroom,” she said.

“He then started shouting and screaming to seek assistance from nearby houses and people came. We have informed the directorate through our inspector and we were told to write a report of what burnt,” Shivute added.

SCARY

Shivute described the incidents as shocking, scary and frightening due to them occurring consecutively.

“It is shocking and frightening because how can fire keep occurring? We do not know what will happen next. How can a fire just start burning books in the cupboard?”

Oshana chief regional officer Teopolina Hamutumua said the report has not reached her office yet, however, she has seen media reports only.