Three children have lost their lives in a fire outbreak after the house they were living in caught fire in Wakiso district.
The incident happened in the wee hours of October 21, 2024, in Kitaka zone of Busega, Rubaga sub-county, leaving three children identified as Daniella Nalukwago, aged 11 years, Darius Lukwago, aged 6 years, and Diego Muwanguzi, aged 3 years, dead.
According to preliminary reports, the deceased died due to carbon monoxide from the fire, which led to their suffocation to death.
The reports also show that the father of the deceased, identified as Ernest Muwanguzi, was sleeping with his four kids in the house when it caught fire; however, three of them died, and one of them survived together with him.
There are many allegations on what caused this fire, as some locals alleged that the mother of the deceased, identified as Maureen Nakimera, left a lit candle on top of the refrigerator and went out to a bar to drink alcohol, while other locals alleged that power voltage came back strong and found the refrigerator on, which caused a fire to start and spread through the house.
The Kampala Metropolitan Deputy Police Spokesperson, ASP Luke Owoyesigyire, revealed that investigations are underway to ascertain the real cause of the fire because there are many assumptions and theories as to what caused it.
Owoyesigyire disclosed that the incident was reported by Nakimera, and the police from Nateete responded.
’’I am very grateful to the locals in Kitaka zone for working together to put out the fire and prevent it from spreading out to other buildings because by the time police arrived, most of the fire was put out by these locals, and they still continued to work with the fire brigade services to put out the fire,’’ he said.
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He added that Muwanguzi and his elder son, called Marvin Muwanguzi, survived the inferno; however, they are in a critical condition in Mulago Hospital.
These incidents reflect a concerning trend of fire-related casualties and property loss in Uganda, highlighting the urgent need for improved fire safety measures and community awareness to prevent such tragedies in the future.
On May 15, 2024, in Namulanda B Zone, Kajjansi Town Council in Wakiso district, six South Sudanese siblings and two women died in a house fire, and according to preliminary reports, the fire originated from an electronic kettle connected to a socket and was left in the sitting room unattended.
On September 17, 2024, two separate fire outbreaks occurred in Kampala. The first was at Kakungulu Memorial School in Kibuli, where a fire broke out in a boys’ dormitory housing around 52 students. But there were no fatalities. The second incident involved a fire at a metallic kiosk used as a kitchen at Entebbe municipality headquarters, which caused significant property damage but no injuries or deaths.
