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Richard Muponde, Plumtree correspondent
ABOUT $300 000 is needed to refurbish Plumtree High School’s monumental Lloyd Hostel which was destroyed by fire seven months ago, Chronicle learnt yesterday.
The double storey hostel was reduced to a shell in April in a suspected case of arson.
No suspects have been arrested so far.
Following the fire incident, 120 A-Level pupils were left without shelter.
Spokesperson for the Plumtree Old Boys Association, known as the Prunitians, Mr Roy Tapela, said they were raising funds towards the refurbishment of the hostel.
“We are looking to raise $300 000 to fix it. Fund raising efforts are already in motion. All old boys are requested to contact me regardless of the fact that they plan to contribute or not,” he said.
Mr Tapela said a report from the engineers said they can refurbish the building without much demolition.
“They said we can use the foundation of the building up to the first floor. Although most of the first floor walls have to be cleaned and partly refurbished. But the building is restorable,” he said.
The Prunitians launched a Rebuild Lloyd Fund with the aim of refurbishing the hostel.
However, if the structure had been condemned, plans were afoot to build a new hostel with the same name.
The Prunitians engaged an international engineering company to do the assessment ahead of any refurbishments.
Clearing of rubble from the destroyed building was completed two months ago by the school workers, army and prison inmates.
When Lloyd Hostel was gutted by fire, the Prunitians were in the middle of a $90 000 project of repainting the school. – @richardmuponde
Online Reporter