Police has urged citizens to ensure that they have emergency firefighting equipment, such as fire extinguishers, readily available in their homes and businesses to minimize fire damage.
This call to action followed a fire outbreak on September 2 in Nansana West 1 Zone, Nansana Municipality, Wakiso District, which occurred at approximately 4:00 PM.
According to the Police, the fire started at a rental property owned by Ssebagala Wilfred and was extinguished by local residents and the Fire Prevention and Rescue Services team.
“Although there was significant property damage, no casualties or injuries were reported. The fire is suspected to have been caused by electrical sparks,” stated Police spokesperson Kituuma.
In a separate incident, the Bukedi South Region, Tororo District, experienced a tragic fire on September 5, at around 8:00 PM, at the UCI (Uganda Cement Industries) Trading Center in Osukuru Town Council. A businesswoman, Kisakye Jane, aged 35, and her two children, Peter Ben (3 years old) and Precious Taliwako (2 years old), lost their lives.
According to the Police, the fire is believed to have started when Kisakye was cooking on a charcoal stove, which ignited a jerrycan of petrol stored in her room. The area LC 1 chairman alerted the authorities, and fire services quickly responded to extinguish the flames.
In yet another fire incident in the Greater Bushenyi Region, a fire broke out in Ishaka-Bushenyi Municipality along Bumbire Road on September 3 at around 5:30 AM.
The fire, from an unknown source, destroyed materials at the park yard of the Presidential Initiative on Banana Industrial Development (PIBID), including irrigation equipment, PVC water pipes, plumbing supplies, and iron sheets. Workers from PIBID used fire extinguishers and water to put out the fire.
The Police have emphasized the importance of keeping the Fire & Rescue Services hotline easily accessible for quick reporting and assistance. They also noted that in some areas, the reach of fire trucks can be limited due to difficult access.
