Pupils injured in classroom collapse

By Walter Mswazie

A pupil at Ebenezer Primary School in Gutu was seriously injured while six others escaped with minor injuries after a classroom roof collapsed under a heavy storm that swept through the district last week.

The rains and winds also damaged several teachers’ houses at the school. Pupils’s exercise and text books were also destroyed after they were soaked by the rain which lasted for about 30 minutes.

Ward 19 Councillor Cleophas Muzindi said the incident occurred last Wednesday at around 3pm and the injured were rushed to Bhasera Clinic. The seriously injured pupil, he said, was referred to Gutu Mission Hospital.

“I can confirm that Ebenezer Primary School near Rafa area was destroyed by heavy rains and winds. Seven learners were injured, one seriously after they were hit by falling bricks and flying zinc sheets,” said Clr Muzindi.

“The injured learners were treated and discharged at Bhasera Clinic while the girl who was hit by a brick on the head was taken to Gutu Mission Hospital for x-ray.”

He said learners were now attending lessons in the open following the tragedy.

“The school has 272 pupils and they are now attending lessons in the open following the disaster. We have since appealed to the district Civil Protection Unit to assist the school, so that normal lessons can resume.

“As you know it is difficult to conduct lessons in the open. The school authorities are now seized with costing of the damaged property but our estimation is that it may be around $2 000,” he said.

Gutu District civil protection unit chairperson Mrs Chiedza Tafirei, who is also the district administrator, said an assessment had been done to ascertain the magnitude of the damage but the community was seized with the matter. “As CPU we went to the scene and assessed the extent of the damage. The Herald