Macha Secondary School kitchen burnt to ashes

The cause of the fire, which started around 01:00 hours, has not yet been established, although the school authorities suspect it could have been triggered by an electrical fault within the kitchen.
A check by a Times reporter around 09:30 hours yesterday found six electrical pots, fridges, kitchen roof, dishes and other utensils burnt to ashes as pupils and teachers watched helplessly.
The school for girls, which is run by Brethren-In-Christ Church, is situated about 40 kilometres from Choma town centre.
The inferno destroyed the kitchen block and disturbed preparation of food for the over 450 pupils.
Head teacher, Maxion Muleya told Southern Province Minister, Daniel Munkombwe, who rushed to the scene, that the fire started like an explosion and it later swept through the entire kitchen.
He appealed to Government and other stakeholders to assist the school with donations because the impact of the damage was massive.
District Education Board Secretary (DEBS) Mutinta Mubanga said the fire brigade arrived at the scene around 03:00 hours and managed to put out the fire although many items had already been gutted.
Mr Munkombwe, who was accompanied by Provincial Permanent Secretary Margret Miyoba, described the incident as a disaster and directed the school authorities and the DEBS to provide him with a full report.