A second-year male dormitory “Lasitewa” at the University of Papua New Guinea’s Waigani Campus went up in flames last night.
Lasitewa dormitory houses 150 second year male students – 50 on each three levels. Level 1 and 2 were not affected by the fire but the whole dormitory was shut down last night as safety precaution.
Eye witnesses said the fire spread so fast to other rooms at the top floor in less than one hour.
Fire fighters called to the scene managed to stop the fire spreading to neighbouring Poroman hall of residence and contained it to Level 3.
There were no occupants in the room at that time.
Students who live on the affected level said the fire may have been caused by an electric fault and not by a candle as reported in one of the dailies today. There was no blackout in the University at that time.
Electricity was later put off at the University by PNG Power Limited as a precautionary measure.
Some students managed to save some of their belongings while others lost some personal items in the fire.
