Police spokesperson Kituuma Rusoke says CCTV footage linked a Senior Three student to the September 28, 2026 dormitory fire that affected 74 Senior Four students, while the Uganda Red Cross provided emergency and psychological support.
KAMPALA, Uganda — Police say a Senior Three student at Nakasero Secondary School deliberately set fire to a mattress in a girls’ dormitory on September 28, 2026, after investigators reviewed CCTV footage from the school.
Police spokesperson Kituuma Rusoke said the investigation found that the student had set the mattress alight, allegedly locked the school matron inside a room and obtained a matchbox specifically to carry out the act.
Rusoke said the student was subsequently taken to court, although the available information does not specify the charges filed, the court where the case was heard or the outcome of the proceedings.
The fire gutted a girls’ dormitory and directly affected 74 Senior Four students. No deaths were reported because the students had already left the dormitory for class when the fire broke out.
The Uganda Red Cross Society responded to the incident, conducting a rapid assessment to establish the extent of the damage and identify the immediate needs of the affected learners.
Three students reportedly fainted because of shock and received first aid. Red Cross responders also provided psychological first aid to learners affected by the incident.
The emergency assessment identified mattresses, blankets, mosquito nets, hygiene supplies and continued psychosocial support among the most urgent needs.
Although the absence of fatalities was a relief, the incident raised concerns about student safety, dormitory fire prevention and the support required by learners whose accommodation and belongings were affected.
CCTV footage central to the investigation
According to Rusoke, investigators examined CCTV footage from Nakasero Secondary School after the September 28 fire and concluded that the mattress had been deliberately set alight.
“On September 28th, we had a fire at Nakasero Secondary School. Investigators received CCTV footage and went through it. They discovered that a Senior 3 student set a mattress on fire,” Rusoke said.
He added that investigators found the student had allegedly locked the matron up and purchased a matchbox purposefully to carry out the act.
“The investigations found that she even locked the matron up. It was later found that she bought a matchbox purposefully to carry out this act,” he said.
The statements indicate that investigators relied on the school’s surveillance footage and other findings to establish what they believe happened before the fire.
However, the full CCTV recording has not been provided in the available information, and the specific sequence of events shown in the footage has not been independently examined for this report.
Details about the circumstances surrounding the alleged confinement of the matron, including where it occurred and how long it lasted, have also not been provided.
Police have not disclosed whether other evidence, such as witness statements or forensic examinations, contributed to the investigation.
The allegations against the student must therefore be distinguished from a final judicial determination of responsibility. Being taken to court does not, by itself, establish guilt.
Student reportedly taken to court
Rusoke said police had taken the student to court following the investigation.
The available account does not identify the court, state the precise charges or indicate whether the student was remanded, released on bail or otherwise dealt with by the court.
It is also unclear whether the proceedings have advanced beyond the initial appearance.
Because the person involved is a Senior Three student, her age has not been established in the information provided. It would be inappropriate to assume that she is either a minor or an adult without confirmation.
The student’s legal status is an important part of the story. Where a case involves a school-age suspect, reporting should respect the applicable legal protections, including any restrictions on identifying children involved in criminal proceedings.
The school and the relevant authorities have not, in the information provided, issued a detailed public account of the student’s circumstances or offered a response to the allegations.
No statement from the student’s family or legal representative was available for inclusion.
Further confirmed information from police or the court would help clarify the case’s legal status without prejudging the outcome.
Fire affects 74 Senior Four students
The fire destroyed or damaged property in a girls’ dormitory used by Senior Four students, directly affecting 74 learners, according to the information provided.
Dormitories are central to the daily lives of boarding students, serving as places where they sleep, store personal belongings and prepare for school activities. A fire in such a setting can therefore disrupt not only accommodation but also students’ access to clothing, bedding, hygiene items and other essential possessions.
In this case, the immediate needs identified by the Uganda Red Cross included mattresses, blankets and mosquito nets. These items are particularly important for restoring safe and adequate sleeping arrangements for students whose accommodation has been affected.
The available information does not specify how many mattresses or other items were destroyed, the estimated financial value of the damage or whether all 74 students lost their personal belongings.
It is also unclear whether the affected learners were temporarily accommodated elsewhere within the school or transferred to alternative facilities.
The school administration’s arrangements for restoring dormitory accommodation and ensuring that the affected students could continue attending classes have not been detailed in the available account.
Nevertheless, the reported scale of the disruption highlights the importance of having contingency plans for boarding schools when fires make residential facilities temporarily unusable.
No lives lost as students were in class
Authorities said no lives were lost because the students had already left the dormitory for class when the fire broke out.
The timing appears to have been a critical factor in preventing the incident from causing fatalities among the students who normally occupied the affected accommodation.
Dormitory fires can present particular dangers because sleeping areas contain mattresses, bedding, clothing and other materials that may burn. Smoke can also spread through enclosed spaces, reducing visibility and making evacuation difficult.
The Nakasero incident demonstrates the importance of accounting for students’ whereabouts during school hours and maintaining procedures for responding quickly when a fire is detected.
However, the available information does not establish how the fire was first discovered, who raised the alarm, how it was extinguished or whether the school activated a formal emergency response plan.
There is also no confirmed information about the extent of structural damage to the dormitory or whether fire safety equipment was used.
These details would help establish how the emergency was managed and whether any additional safety measures are needed.
The absence of deaths should not obscure the need to investigate the cause of the fire thoroughly and assess the risks that could have arisen had students still been inside the building.
Uganda Red Cross provides emergency assistance
The Uganda Red Cross Society responded to the incident by conducting a rapid assessment at the school.
The assessment was intended to establish the scale of the damage and identify the immediate needs of students affected by the fire.
Three students reportedly fainted due to shock and received first aid. Red Cross responders also provided psychological first aid to learners affected by the incident.
The reported response addressed two important aspects of an emergency: immediate physical needs and the emotional distress that can follow a frightening event.
A fire can leave students worried about their safety, their belongings and the possibility of another incident. Even when no one is killed or seriously injured, witnessing a fire or learning that a dormitory has been damaged can cause anxiety.
Psychological first aid generally involves offering humane, supportive and practical assistance to people experiencing distress. It can include helping them feel safe, listening to their concerns and connecting them with further support when needed.
The information provided does not indicate whether any of the students required hospital admission, how long the first-aid response lasted or whether further medical assessments were recommended.
It also does not specify the number of students who received psychological first aid or whether professional counselling services were subsequently arranged.
Essential supplies identified as urgent needs
The Red Cross assessment identified several categories of assistance required by the affected learners.
These included:
- Mattresses: To restore suitable sleeping arrangements for students whose bedding was destroyed or damaged.
- Blankets: To replace essential bedding and help students maintain adequate sleeping conditions.
- Mosquito nets: To support protection against mosquito bites where students require replacement nets.
- Hygiene supplies: To help affected learners maintain personal hygiene while their usual accommodation and belongings are disrupted.
- Psychosocial support: To address emotional distress and provide continued assistance to students who may struggle after the incident.
The list indicates that the consequences extended beyond the immediate fire damage to the practical needs of students living in a boarding-school environment.
However, the assessment findings do not establish whether the listed supplies were subsequently delivered, how many students received assistance or whether additional donations were required.
The Red Cross response, as described, focused on assessing needs and providing immediate support. Any claims about the completion of a relief operation would require further confirmation from the humanitarian agency or school administration.
The incident also highlights the importance of coordination between schools, emergency responders, health workers and humanitarian organisations when an emergency disrupts students’ living conditions.
Fire safety in boarding schools
The incident has broader implications for fire prevention and emergency preparedness in boarding schools across Uganda.
Schools that accommodate learners overnight need safety arrangements that take account of the number of students, the layout of residential buildings, available exits and the potential for a fire to spread through sleeping areas.
Effective preparedness generally involves working fire alarms, suitable firefighting equipment, clear evacuation routes, regular safety inspections and practical drills that teach students and staff how to respond to an emergency.
School staff also need clear responsibilities for raising alarms, guiding students to safe areas, accounting for learners and contacting emergency services.
These measures are useful whether a fire results from an accident, an electrical fault or deliberate action. The appropriate response in each case depends on the evidence established by investigators.
In the Nakasero case, police have described the fire as deliberate based on their investigation. That allegation makes it particularly important for authorities to establish the circumstances surrounding the incident and determine whether any weaknesses in access control or supervision contributed to the risk.
The available information does not establish whether the school had functioning fire alarms, extinguishers, emergency exits or a documented evacuation plan at the time of the incident.
It would therefore be premature to conclude that the school failed to meet any particular safety requirement.
A formal assessment of the incident, including the building’s safety arrangements and the response to the fire, could help determine whether further preventive measures are necessary.
Student welfare and the responsibility of schools
The incident also raises questions about how schools respond when serious disciplinary or safety concerns involve learners.
Schools have a responsibility to maintain a safe learning environment for all students while ensuring that allegations against individual learners are handled fairly and in accordance with the law.
Where a student is suspected of deliberately starting a fire, the immediate priority is to protect other learners and staff, establish the facts and prevent further danger.
At the same time, the circumstances surrounding the alleged conduct should be established through an appropriate process rather than speculation.
The available information does not explain what may have motivated the alleged act, whether there had been any previous disciplinary concerns or whether the student had experienced any difficulties before the incident.
No conclusion can therefore be drawn about the motive or the factors that may have preceded the fire.
Understanding those circumstances, where relevant and appropriate, may help the responsible authorities determine what safeguards are needed to protect other learners and prevent similar incidents.
Any consideration of the student’s personal circumstances must not minimise the seriousness of a fire that could have endangered lives or the needs of the 74 students directly affected.
The welfare of the affected learners and the rights of the student facing allegations are both important considerations, although the legal process must determine responsibility based on the evidence.
Questions that remain unanswered
Several details are still needed to provide a complete account of the incident.
These include the precise circumstances in which the fire started, the extent of the damage, the measures taken to extinguish it and whether a formal fire safety inspection followed the incident.
The court proceedings also require clarification, including the charges brought against the student and the current status of the case.
Further information from the school would help establish how the affected students were accommodated after the fire, whether classes continued without disruption and what arrangements were made to replace damaged supplies.
The Red Cross could also clarify whether the immediate needs identified during its assessment were met and whether additional psychosocial support was provided.
These details would help readers understand both the investigation and the steps taken to restore the affected students’ welfare.
Conclusion
The September 28 fire at Nakasero Secondary School left 74 Senior Four students directly affected, prompting police investigations and an emergency response from the Uganda Red Cross Society.
Police spokesperson Kituuma Rusoke said CCTV footage and subsequent investigations linked a Senior Three student to the deliberate ignition of a mattress. He also said the student had been taken to court, although the specific charges and outcome of the proceedings remain unclear.
No deaths were reported because students had already left the dormitory for class. However, three students reportedly fainted from shock, while the Red Cross identified bedding, hygiene supplies and continued psychosocial support among the affected learners’ immediate needs.
The case underscores the importance of fire prevention, emergency preparedness and effective support for students following serious incidents at school.
As the legal process continues, confirmed information from police, the court, the school and humanitarian responders will be essential to establish the full circumstances of the fire and determine what further measures are needed to protect learners.
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