By Adama Makasuba
The United Nations International Children’s Emergency Funds (UNICEF) has called on both local and international authorities to launch a swift independent investigation into Bilal Islmaic School fire outbreak, which killed at least five boys and left seven severely injured.
UNICEF said in a statement that it is deeply saddened by the death of five children from the fire incident at the Bilal Boarding School in Yarambamba,
“We send our deepest condolences to the families, friends and peers of all victims of the incident,” the UN body said in a statement.
According to the body, Children who witnessed the incident may also be traumatized by what they saw and the loss of friends, and may need urgent psycho-social support as they recover from the shock.
“We urge national and local authorities to launch a thorough investigation into the incident to establish the exact cause of the fire and the circumstances around the incident.
“This investigation will be important in ensuring accountability and the implementation of stronger mechanisms to safeguard the security and safety of children in schools, especially those in boarding schools,” the statement added.