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Suspected Electrical Fire Razes Bukoto Home

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The blaze, which erupted in the children's bedroom around 7:00 am, quickly engulfed the entire house. Despite desperate efforts by residents and neighbors to contain the fire, they were overwhelmed by its intensity.
The fire outbreak

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A devastating fire, suspected to have been caused by an electrical short circuit, tore through a residential home in Old-Kira Zone, Bukoto Parish, Nakawa Division in a Kampala suburb Tuesday morning, destroying properties worth millions.

The blaze, which erupted in the children's bedroom around 7:00 am, quickly engulfed the entire house. Despite desperate efforts by residents and neighbors to contain the fire, they were overwhelmed by its intensity. 

Upon arrival at the scene, this reporter observed that three water brigade vehicles had exhausted their supply, leaving firefighters temporarily stranded while they waited for reinforcements to fetch more water from the Clock Tower headquarters hydrant in Kampala.

Ashraf Kasibinte, one of the first responders, recounted how they rescued the homeowner, 70-year-old Patrick Kityo, who was found unconscious inside the burning house. 

“As we headed to work, we noticed thick smoke billowing from Mr. Kityo's compound,” Kasibinte explained. “We rushed to the scene, opened the gate, and found the house engulfed in flames, with the roof already ablaze. We forced our way in and discovered the elderly man still inside.” 

Kasibinte added that, though the fire couldn’t be contained, their quick intervention saved the elderly resident and preserved some of the properties in the living room.

//Cue in: “Tugezezako naye…  

Cue out:…netusikayo Entebbe.”//

Ismail Kikumbi, the Chairperson of Old-Kira Zone, revealed that one of the children had noticed sparks during the night, which temporarily stopped but later reignited into the devastating fire. He highlighted the challenges the fire brigade faced due to accessibility issues in the area.

“One of the problems is that people construct homes without leaving access roads. The brigade vehicles arrived on time but struggled to access the site. This is a common issue during fire outbreaks,” Kikumbi noted.

Kikumbi also cautioned city residents against illegal electricity connections, warning that such practices can lead to dangerous fire outbreaks, and urged for responsible energy use.

//Cue in: “Abantu bagala nyo…

Cue out:....kyova olaba nti.”//

Meanwhile, other residents have called on local leaders, including the Nakawa West Member of Parliament and Leader of Opposition Joel Ssenyonyi, as well as Nakawa Division Mayor Paul Mugambe, to assist Mr. Kityo, who has been left homeless and without possessions.

//Cue in: “Twetaga ayambibwe…

 Cue out:…kubanga bambi.”//

As of press time, the Police had not yet issued an official statement regarding the fire. According to the 2023 crime report from the Police Fire and Rescue Directorate, Uganda experienced 1,144 fire incidents, with 233 occurring in residential buildings.

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