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Nqobile Tshili,Chronicle Reporter

FOUR Grade Three pupils at Mafakela Primary School in Bulawayo’s Luveve suburb were on Friday rushed to hospital after they were injured when the roof of two classroom blocks was blown away by a whirlwind.

 The incident occurred at about 2PM and the pupils were taken to Mpilo Central Hospital.

Acting Bulawayo Provincial Education Director, Mrs Olicah Kaira, who attended the scene, revealed that the four pupils suffered minor tissue injuries.

“We are at Mafakela Primary School where a whirlwind has just blown off roof tops from two classrooms. About five asbestos sheets were blown off from two classrooms. As a result four of our Grade Three learners who were still in school sustained minor soft tissue injuries but no one else was injured in the process. The pupils were attended by paramedics before being rushed to Mpilo (Central Hospital) for treatment,” said Mrs Kaira on Friday.

“Some of the parents came to the school panicking as they suspected that their children had died following the whirlwind incident. However, they found that it’s not as serious as they thought. I guess the response from the three ambulance teams could have triggered them to panic because the incident created a hive of activity at the school as concerned parents rushed to the institution. But we want to assure them that their children are safe despite the natural accident.” 

She expressed gratitude to emergency teams for their quick response in attending to the scene.

Mrs Kaira said the old school structure could have led to the roof succumbing to the whirlwind.

Last year in November, seven pupils at Maranatha High School were injured after a whirlwind blew off the roof of a newly constructed double storey building.

Shoddy workmanship was cited as the reason for the roof’s collapse.—@nqotshili