The below is the latest update from the raging inferno which torched Mukaro Girls College last week:
By Terrence Mawawa, Gutu| At least 62 form two pupils at Roman Catholic owned Mukaro Girls’ High School, 20 km from Mupandawana town, escaped death by a whisker when a raging inferno torched down their hostels.
The pupils were in St Joseph 1 and 2 hostels when the inferno razed the complex, destroying all their belongings in the process.Two upper six students in an adjacent room also lost their belongings. The incident happened last Monday around midnight.
The school head Acquainos Mazhunga confirmed the unfortunate incident saying the school immediately assisted the affected pupils by buying them uniforms. He told ZimEye.com the pupils lost everything except the night dresses they were wearing.
Mazhunga said the fire was caused by a candle that was left burning by a pupil who did not blow it off before before retiring to bed.He added the fire was eventually extinguished by a Fire Brigade team from Mupandawana.
“It is a huge catastrophe for the pupils and the school. The children were left with nothing, “said Mazhunga.
Gutu District Education Officer Christian Chirikure said: “Everything belonging to the pupils was gutted by the fire.”
The development has seen the school being questioned on its preparedness for fires as it allegedly does not have basic fire extinguishing equipment. Parents are fuming demanding answers charging that the head at the boarding school is neither qualified nor trained for the job.