Islanders count losses as fire guts 104 houses in Kalangala
Some of the houses that were destroyed by fire at Lukuba landing site on May 10, 2022. PHOTO | SYLIVESTER SSEMUGENYI
What you need to know:
- The inferno, which started at 10.30AM on Tuesday and lasted an hour left at least 104 houses completely destroyed, leaving about 300 people homeless.
A section of fishermen at Lukuba landing site, Kyamuswa Sub County, Kalangala District spent the night in the cold after fire gutted their houses.
The inferno, which started at 10.30AM on Tuesday and lasted an hour left at least 104 houses completely destroyed, leaving about 300 people homeless.
Mr Abasi Bantambulira, a councilor representing Lukuba landing site at Kyamuswa Sub County, said the fire could have been caused by a charcoal stove that was left unattended near one of the fuel stores.
“We have lost close to Shs200 million in fuel and 104 houses went up in flames, we are still checking to see whether no one is dead,” he said in a telephone interview on Wednesday morning.
Monitor has learnt that about 140 jerry cans of fuel were inside two stores where the fire is said to have started from.
Mr Nandu Mugoya, a community liaison officer attached to Kalangala Police Station, said they are yet to establish the cause of the fire.
“Our people have lost property worth millions of shillings and many left homeless, fire also destroyed lodges, eating joints and retail shops,” he said.
Lukuba landing site is located a few meters away from the home of the Kalangala District Woman Member of Parliament, Ms Hellen Nakimuli.
Ms Nakimuli said islanders have suffered fire incidents in the past but the government has not helped victims as it does in other parts of the country.
“We have always requested for relief to fire victims in the islands from the Office of the Prime Minister, but we get no response, we hope this time around they are going to intervene,” she said.
Kalangala is among the districts which suffer frequent fire incidents given the fact that many islanders store petroleum fuel for their boat engines inside their houses which also serve as kitchens which exposes them to fire outbreaks.
In the last 10 months, fire has gutted hundreds of houses at Nkese Island and another fire burnt a wooden kiosk at Bugala B village in Kalangala Town Council, leaving property worth millions destroyed.
On March 19, fire gutted a grass-thatched restaurant at Brovad Sands Lodges in Kalangala Town Council leaving property worth millions of shillings in ashes.
Valuable assets like furniture stocked beer, and souvenir shops all went up in flames.
Traditionally, residents at many of the landing sites sleep in wooden structures which easily catch fire.
Unfortunately, the district comprising 64 islands lacks a single motorized fire engine. Recently, local leaders asked the government to provide them with a fire engine or amphibious fireboats.
