Eleven children were killed Tuesday in a school fire outbreak in Luga village, Ntanzi parish, Ntejeru Kisoga town council in Mukono district.

According to Kampala Metropolitan deputy police spokesperson Luke Owoyesigyire, the tragic incident occurred at Salama School of the Blind at about 1 am local time.

“The cause of the fire is currently unknown but so far 11 deaths as a result of the fire have been confirmed while six are in critical condition and admitted at Herona Hospital in Kisoga,” Owoyesigyire said.

School fires are common in Ugandan schools. Prince Kassim Nakibinge recently tasked the police to investigate fire outbreaks in various schools across the country. According to Nakibinge, there have been many fire outbreaks in various schools since this year started and he believes that it could be a deliberate act done by people with criminal intentions.

Since the beginning of the year, there have been fire outbreaks in more than six schools in Kampala, Kyotera, Wakiso, Kamuli, and Mayuge.

Five children died at New Crest Junior Kibedi in Kawempe division in Kampala, and St Johns Nursery and Primary school in Kyotera district. Another pupil died after a fire gutted Good Times Primary School Kawala where a lot of property was burnt into ashes.

Prince Nakibinge said the police should carry out thorough investigations and the culprits prosecuted.