Police have confirmed that a Senior Three student at Nakasero Secondary School deliberately started the September 28, 2026, dormitory fire, saying CCTV footage and subsequent investigations linked her to the incident.
Police spokesperson Kituuma Rusoke said investigators reviewed footage obtained from the school and concluded that the student had set a mattress on fire. He also alleged that she locked the school matron inside during the incident and had deliberately purchased a matchbox to carry out the act.
“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: “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.”
Rusoke said police subsequently took the student to court. The supplied information does not specify the charges she faces or the outcome of the court proceedings.
The blaze destroyed a girls’ dormitory, directly affecting 74 Senior Four students whose accommodation and belongings were impacted by the incident.
Authorities said no lives were lost because the students had already left the dormitory for classes when the fire broke out.
However, the incident caused distress among learners. Three students reportedly fainted from shock and received first aid.
The Uganda Red Cross Society sent responders to the school to assess the damage and identify the immediate needs of affected students.
The assessment identified mattresses, blankets, mosquito nets and hygiene supplies among the most urgent requirements. The agency also provided psychological first aid and highlighted the need for continued psychosocial support for learners affected by the fire.
Beyond the 74 students directly affected, the Red Cross said other learners also experienced indirect effects from the incident.
The police investigation has brought renewed attention to the circumstances surrounding the fire, while the affected students face the task of recovering from the disruption and loss of essential belongings.
A student of Nakasero Secondary School was captured on CCTV footage allegedly setting fire to a mattress after locking her schoolmates inside their room. Police spokesperson Kituuma Rusoke urged school administrators to engage students.@mkituuma @KAMUSIMEWILFRED https://t.co/dbyd7JOuhc
— Segawa Robert (@Jackson07001263) October 12, 2026
