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Botswana: Tragedy As Student Perishes in Inferno
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The Voice (Francistown)
8 April 2008
Posted to the web 8 April 2008
Tafaranazvo Tandi
Francistown
The end of every school term always brings about a sense of relief and joy for most students as it is a time to take a breather from the daily school routine.
Sadly, this is not going to be the case for one Lobatse Senior Secondary student who lost his life in a fire at the school on Sunday.
Students at the senior secondary school were left shell shocked when a fellow student perished in a fire that burnt down the boys' hostel during the early hours of Sunday morning this week.
The inferno rapidly consumed the whole hostel just as everyone, but one 18-year-old student from Tshane village, was able to scurry out to safety. Sources say the deceased was a day scholar who, at the time of the incident, was sleeping in the hostel's storeroom out of the boarding master's sight as it is not allowed for boarders at the school to accommodate day scholars.
Despite a swift response by the police who quickly engaged the fire brigade because of the fire's magnitude the damage had already been done.
When The Voice got to the school premises, the school's headmistress refused to divulge any information on the issue saying she was not at liberty to discuss the matter with the press.
The school's boarding master said he could not shed light on the issue as it is still under police investigation.
The distraught students implored this reporter to tell their version that they claimed to be true against rumours they claim are circulating that their deceased colleague was at the time of the incident intoxicated.
They expressed their disapproval saying the media always gets fingers pointing which is why they say none of the school's senior staff was willing to comment and why they wouldn't say their names.
However, several student sources spoke to The Voice on condition of anonymity.
"Everything happened so fast there was just such great panic as we all quickly ran outside our dormitories for safety," said one student. "Outside, there was smoke; there was thick smoke all over the place we could barely see and breath because the smoke was extremely strong," said one clearly shaken student who claims to have been close to the deceased.
According to the boys, the deceased student had reportedly lost his taxi money and it was late for him to go home safely and that's how he ended up in the hostel storeroom on the fateful night.
"It was late and he had lost his taxi money so that is how he got to be in the store room at the time of the fire. He was not supposed to be seen by the boarding master but when the fire began, it was too soon for anything to be done," the student said.
School property and students' possessions were consumed by the fire when it took down the 13 dormitories in the 130 student boarding hostel.
"We lost all we had in the fire, from cellphones, money, clothes, blankets, shoes and books , I am only left with what I have on at least we are going on holiday for now," mumbled another equally shaken form 5 student.
With the school term coming to a close the students also lost their school projects that they had worked on throughout the term and what seems to worry most of them is that the form 5 exams are crucial.
In 2007 the same hostel reportedly nearly met the same fate when another fire almost got to it but it was quickly doused before it could do any damage. The fire that had reportedly started behind the hostel was stopped before it could get to the hostel.
Station Commander for Woodhall Police, Cyprien Magalela, confirmed the Sunday morning fire incident and death of the student.
"On Sunday morning at 3.30, we received a report of fire outbreak in the boys' hostel at Lobatse Senior Secondary School, to which we quickly responded and engaged the fire brigade department," he said.
He went on to confirm that 13 dormitories were burnt down with all 130 students safely evacuated and treated for shock and heavy inhalation of the smoke gas.
"We were then alerted by the students about the day scholar who had been accommodated in the store room within the hostel block that is when we discovered the body, burnt beyond recognition," he explained.
The body was then taken for postmortem for which they are awaiting the results today (Friday).
Police investigations on both the fire and the unfortunate loss of life that occurred at the school are still in progress.
Officer Magalela urged responsibility amongst students as well as thorough monitoring from the parents at all times to avoid such episodes and unnecessary loss of life.
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"Boarders should follow school rules and be responsible, In this case, it was a non resident who died; if they had been accommodating him then he would still be alive. I also urge parents to monitor the movement of their children to avoid such instances," he said.
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