Matsha College burns on �accident anniversary� night
Baboki Kayawe | Tuesday November 15, 2016 16:37
Acting Kgalagadi regional education director, Neo Tsietso confirmed the incident to Mmegi on Monday. She added the extent of the damage was bad, as nothing has been sparred.
“The kitchen has been burnt to ashes and all the items that were housed have been consumed by the fire,” Tsietso said.
Speaking from the regional base in Tsabong, Tsietso said though the damage could not be quantified at press time, the fact that all the food items and contents of the kitchen were destroyed meant there was real damage.
“The extent of the damage has not been quantified yet. Moreover, the cause has not been established and the police are on site carrying out investigations,” Tsietso said Monday morning.
Responding to how the incident would disturb the school calendar, she said the regional office would engage other schools and brigades in the village to assist in feeding the learners.
Sources said the fire incident was a protest gesture to commemorate fellow students who perished in a truck accident along Letlhakeng-Motokwe road in November 13 last year.
A dark cloud befell the Kang-based senior secondary school when a truck transporting boarding students to their respective villages overturned along the Letlhakeng-Motokwe road near Dutlwe, west of Takatokwane in the Kweneng district killing seven on the spot while over 100 were injured and hospitalised. The cause of the accident pointed to a tyre burst.
Kang Police station commander, Letsweletse Rannoba confirmed investigations were ongoing. Though the cause of the fire was unknown, he said they “believe it was caused by humans”.
“We received a call from the matron around 10pm after she came across a small fire just opposite the girls’ hostel. While we were still amazed at that, we saw a red ball of fire coming from the kitchen and dining hall building,” he narrated.
“What was surprising was that there was no one there, but we can’t say it was a miracle fire looking at the fact that a mini-fire was initially found near the girls’ hostel,” Rannoba added.
He could not link the incident to last year’s accident because a number of similar occurrences usually take place around this period.
“It might be connected to last’s year accident, it might be just a coincidence because we usually record such happenings at this time of the school calendar,” he said.
However, his office is on the ground, alert and prepared to keep the situation under control, he added.
Rannoba said the Department of Building and Engineering Services were on-site to assess the facilities, and the damage estimate report was expected to take some time.