Second fire in 5 days guts Matopo High School

A FIRE has gutted another building at Matopo High School in Matabeleland South, barely a week after a dormitory was razed to a shell by an inferno on Friday morning.

In a message to parents, the school headmaster Mr Gardson Sibanda said fire broke out on Tuesday morning at a building where some extra mattresses are being kept before adding that they were quick to extinguish the fire.

"Another unfortunate incident befell us in the early hours of yesterday where a small room, an extension of a Form Three hostel currently not housing any children but housing extra mattresses caught fire.  This time we were able to put out the fire quickly as fire extinguishers were availed in no time," read the message.

Mr Sibanda said there is a huge probability of arson by one of the learners, based on preliminary investigations.

"One child reports that he saw a boy carrying fire using a cup and as soon that boy got behind the building, a fire started. Intentions of this arson are yet to be established through thorough investigation. What happened dear parents is simple mischief by our learners," said Mr Sibanda.

He said during the cold weather the school's geysers are not performing to expectations and to get warm bathing water they used firewood and this has been going on very well.

The school Head said it would not be surprising to hear that the fire that gutted the whole hostel last week was caused by negligence on the part of the learner.

"After everything has been said and done, as a school we are working flat out to stop any further incidents occurring and make the hostels a safe environment to live in," said Mr Sibanda.

This developing story will be updated as new information comes in.