Six pupils were taken to hospital and 21 suffered minor injuries Wednesday while attempting fleeing in panic from a fire at a girls' school. The situation also developed into angry confrontations when the school guard refused to let the pupils exit the building. The fire reportedly started in discarded papers beneath a staircase in the school and the rising smoke led pupils to flee in panic into the school courtyard where the guard, according to witnesses of the event, wielded a stick to prevent them from leaving the premises. Guardians of the girls were soon at the scene, and angry confrontations erupted between them and the guard. Six pupils were taken to hospital after the incident while 21 were treated at the scene. The school principle also reportedly suffered minor injuries. There are 670 pupils registered with the school. Sources investigating the cause of the fire said Thursday that it was most probably due to a discarded cigarette.
