165 Views The University of Zambia is facing renewed questions over student safety after another fire broke out in one of its hostels this week, just as students were settling back on campus for the new semester. The latest incident happened on Tuesday night at October 2 Hostel. According to students who were in the […]

165 Views

The University of Zambia is facing renewed questions over student safety after another fire broke out in one of its hostels this week, just as students were settling back on campus for the new semester.

The latest incident happened on Tuesday night at October 2 Hostel.

According to students who were in the building, a fire started in Room 18 and quickly spread to the adjoining Room 28.

Six students who were inside at the time managed to escape without serious injury, but their belongings were destroyed.

According to reports, the fire was linked to an electric cooker that had been plugged into a wall socket.

Police in Lusaka confirmed the development saying they have recorded a fire incident at the University of Zambia (UNZA) Great East Road Campus, which occurred around 19:00 hours in Room 18 of October 2 Hostel.

The incident, reported to Handsworth Police Post under Chelstone Police Station, is suspected to have originated from an electrical socket while students were using an electric cooker.

The fire destroyed clothing, laptops, refrigerators, documents, and other personal belongings in Room 18 before spreading to neighbouring Room 28, where additional property was also lost.

The police said all six students occupying the two rooms managed to escape without injuries after raising an alarm and calling for help.

The total value of the damaged property has not yet been established. Officers visited and processed the scene, and an inquiry file was opened to establish the circumstances surrounding the incident.

Apparently, the incident has left many students uneasy and not about their safety.

The university recently underwent some renovations with management saying the upgrades would improve living conditions and safety.

For many residents, the fire has raised doubts about whether those upgrades included proper electrical safety checks.

Be that as it may, this is not the first time UNZA hostels have made headlines for fires. Over the last five years there have been at least three other major incidents recorded in different hostels.

In 2022 a fire in Chainama Hostel damaged several rooms after a student left a hot plate unattended. In 2023, students in CBU’s sister campus reported a similar case, and last year a small fire broke out in Ridgeway Hostel due to faulty wiring.

None of those cases resulted in deaths, but each one destroyed property and displaced students.

The pattern has created a sense of anxiety, especially among first year students who are living in university accommodation for the first time.

Parents have also expressed concern on social media and in WhatsApp groups, asking whether the university is doing enough to prevent another tragedy.

The danger posed by these fires goes beyond burnt furniture and lost laptops. Hostels at UNZA are densely populated. Most rooms house two to four students, and corridors are often narrow.

In the event of a fire at night, evacuation could be chaotic. Electrical faults, illegal connections, and the use of prohibited appliances like cookers and heaters are common because students say the dining hall food is expensive and cooking in rooms is the only affordable option.

There is also the issue of fire equipment. While extinguishers are mounted in hostels, students say many are either expired or were not serviced recently. Fire drills are rarely conducted, and not all students know where the nearest assembly point is.

In response to Tuesday’s fire, university management issued a statement on Wednesday morning. The Dean of Students said investigations were underway to establish the exact cause and that those found to have violated accommodation rules would face disciplinary action. The university also said it would conduct an audit of all electrical installations in hostels and replace faulty sockets and wiring.

The Zambia Fire Brigade, which responded to the October 2 incident, has advised the university to enforce a ban on electric cookers and other high-wattage appliances in rooms. They also recommended regular inspections and student sensitization on fire safety.

Student leaders have welcomed the audit but say it is not enough. The UNZA Students Union president said the union will push for three things. First, an immediate servicing of all fire extinguishers and installation of smoke detectors in every hostel block. Second, designated cooking areas with proper wiring so students do not have to cook in rooms. Third, mandatory fire safety orientation for all new and returning students at the start of every semester.

What still needs to be done is clear to both students and staff. The university needs to move from reaction to prevention. That means a full electrical assessment of all hostels, not just the ones that have had fires. It means enforcing rules consistently while also providing alternatives, because telling students not to cook without giving them a safe place to do so will not work.

There is also the question of funding. Many of the hostels were built decades ago and were not designed for the number of students currently on campus. Load shedding and the use of adapters and extension cables put extra strain on old wiring. Renovation projects need to include fire safety as a core component, not an afterthought.

For now, students at October 2 are counting themselves lucky that no one was hurt. But the mood on campus is that luck cannot be the safety plan.

With more students returning and the semester in full swing, UNZA management, student leaders, and government will be under pressure to show that lessons from this fire, and the ones before it, are finally being learned.