Deaf School Fire: Perished Pupils Laid To Rest

WATCH: Perished learners of N West School for the Deaf laid to rest.

Three Deaf students, who died in a fire at the Northwest School for Deaf in Leeudoringstad, will be buried at their respective home towns on weekend.

They died when their school hostel was gutted with fire on Monday morning. Over 50 others were injured.

The funerals for the three students preceded by a highly emotional memorial service that was held on Friday at Leeudoringstad.

Sixteen year old Katlego Diseko, will be buried at Ikopeleng village in Ramatlabama just outside Mahikeng.

Another learner, 18 year old Bulelwa Koni will be buried in Klerksdorp, while 22-year-old Emily Oageng will be laid to rest at Kuruman in the Northern Cape on Sunday.

Provincial Departmental officials from education, including MEC Wendy Matsemela are expected to attend the funerals.

SOURCE - SABC

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Deaf School Fire: Perished Pupils Laid To Rest

Deaf School Fire: 3 Dead, Dozen Injured

WATCH [CC] - Three pupils were killed in a fire in a Northwest School for Deaf hostel in Leeudoringstad, South Africa.

JOHANNESBURG -- Deaf pupils had to jump from the first floor of the Northwest School for Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing Children hostel in Leeudoringstad in the North West, after it became engulfed by fire.

Three pupils died and 23 were injured were injured and at least 40 beds destroyed in the early morning blaze.

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North West police spokesperson Major Pelonomi Makau told eNCA: “Twenty three learners are being treated for smoke inhalation and minor injuries caused by jumping from the first floor to the ground floor to escape the fire.

“They were rushed to Nic Bodenstein Hospital in Wolmaranstad where they are currently receiving treatment,” she added.

In a statement, North West Premier Supra Mahumapelo said: “Damages at the school include one hostel which hosts 40 beds, an administration block, a computer laboratory and two teachers’ flats.

Mahumapelo, who extended his condolences to the families of the dead pupils, said a technical committee had been set up to intervene at the school...

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Deaf School Was Warned of Imminent Fire - The Northwest School for Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing Children hostel was warned that it did not comply with the needs of the learners.

According to the Deaf Federation of South Africa , the warning was by US based Rochester Institute of Technology when they visited the school.

"Rochester Institute of Technology identified that the school does not comply to needs for Deaf Learners if there should be a fire, this report was handed to the Department of Education in the North West and nothing was done to ensure that Deaf learner’s safety needs are addressed," DeafSA said in a statement...

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Related Deaf School Fire:
Deaf School Fire: Perished Pupils Laid To Rest
Deaf School Fire: 3 Dead, Dozen Injured

Missouri Deaf Kids To Hospital As Bus Overturns

Authorities say as many as 20 children are being taken to a hospital after a charter bus carrying students from the Missouri School for the Deaf overturned in eastern Missouri.

DANVILLE, Missouri -- A charter bus carrying students from the Missouri School for the Deaf overturned along an interstate in eastern Missouri on Friday, sending 15 children and three adults to a hospital but causing no life-threatening injuries, authorities said.

The accident happened around 1:30 p.m. as the eastbound bus was exiting Interstate 70 near Danville, about 75 miles west of St. Louis.

The children, who were between ages 10 and 18, were treated in the emergency room at University Hospital in Columbia, along with the bus driver and two chaperones, hospitals spokeswoman Mary Jenkins said. She said the adults' injuries also appeared not to be life-threatening.

Department of Elementary and Secondary Education spokeswoman Sarah Potter said initial reports from the hospital indicated the children had "minor injuries bumps and bruises, that sort of thing."

The superintendent of the Fulton school went to the hospital to help translate for the children. Jenkins said the hospital also brought in eight sign-language interpreters to help the children communicate.

The state-run School for the Deaf has residential and day programs for children in first through 12th grades. The bus was taking the children from the central Missouri campus to five drop-off points in St. Charles, St. Louis, Arnold, Sikeston and Cape Girardeau, Potter said... Read The Full Story.