Joseph Isangura
A horrific fire broke out in the early hours of July 29, 2025, at a small orphanage located in the Igambilo area of Misha Ward, part of Tabora Municipality in Tanzania, leaving five children dead as they slept in their dormitory.
The fire, which reportedly started around 5:00 a.m., quickly engulfed the wooden structure where the children, all aged between three and seven, were sleeping. Local residents, alerted by smoke and the children’s screams, were first to arrive on the scene. With no firefighting tools, they tried to douse the flames using buckets of water and wet blankets, a desperate attempt to save the little ones inside.
“It was terrifying,” said one neighbor. “We saw the fire rising and heard the cries, but it was too late. The heat was unbearable.”
By the time the Fire and Rescue Force of Tanzania arrived, the damage had been done. The dormitory was destroyed, and the children were found dead inside. Preliminary reports suggest the victims likely died from smoke inhalation and burns.
The exact cause of the fire is still under investigation, though officials have not ruled out an electrical fire or a fault linked to poor infrastructure, a common issue in under-resourced children’s homes across rural Tanzania.
The orphanage, which serves as a home for children without parents or permanent guardians, is now a scene of grief and mourning. Surviving children are being cared for by social welfare officers, who are offering trauma counseling and emergency shelter.
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The tragedy has prompted national outcry, with child welfare advocates calling for immediate reforms to strengthen child protection and fire safety regulations in residential care facilities throughout the country. Many such institutions operate with limited resources and often lack basic emergency systems, such as fire extinguishers, alarms, and clear escape routes.
Officials from Tabora Regional Administration visited the site hours after the fire was put out, offering condolences and promising a full report once investigations are complete. Funeral arrangements are being coordinated with local leaders and religious groups.
This heartbreaking event is a stark reminder of the risks faced by vulnerable children living in institutional care, particularly in low-income settings.
