Twin fires deal Kalangala heavy blow

The first fire, whose cause is still under police investigation, destroyed more than 70 semi-permanent houses on Tuesday.

A second fire, believed to have been sparked by remnants of the initial blaze, left more than 120 residents without shelter. The affected families are now camping in tents near the busy Kalangala Island Ferry docking village, according to local leaders.

Mr David Omongot, the Kalangala Disaster coordinator, suspects the second fire was reignited by smoldering debris from the first fire, which residents and police had extinguished on October 1.

“When we visited the scene on the morning of October 2, I saw smoke still coming from the debris. It’s likely that the second fire was a continuation of the first,” he said.

Mr Rajab Ssemakula, the Kalangala District LC5 chairman, yesterday said about 150 people, including adults and children, are temporarily sheltered at Lutoboka Church of Uganda, where the Uganda Red Cross Society has set up an emergency camp.

“Many others are staying with relatives and friends at the same landing site. We are waiting for a detailed report to understand the cause of the fires and the extent of the damage,” he added.

The first fire was reportedly fueled by temporary wooden structures used as homes and business premises. Lacking firefighting equipment, residents and police resorted to dismantling some structures to prevent the fire from spreading. Despite their efforts, the blaze lasted more than three hours.

Ms Christen Acheng, a victim of the first fire, said it started shortly after the electricity, which had been off, was restored.

“My neighbor noticed sparks at the back of her house when the power came back. By the time she checked, the fire was already spreading to nearby wooden structures,” she said.

Mr Joseph Balikudembe, a bar owner, reported losing property worth more than Shs10 million in the fire, which gutted both his bar and family home.

On Wednesday, Kalangala District Woman MP Helen Nakimuli urged the government to provide urgent humanitarian assistance to the affected families.

“Our people on the islands often struggle to get quick attention from government during emergencies. The government has been slow in providing relief in past disasters,” she said.

Despite being a popular tourist destination, Kalangala frequently experiences fire outbreaks, partly due to the storage of petroleum fuels for boat engines and the prevalence of wooden structures.

Previous fire incidents include the November 3, 2023, blaze that destroyed Desire Restaurant and Takeaway at Bugala Island, and the March 28, 2022, fire at Brovard Sands Lodges.

Other notable fires include the January 9, 2022, incident at Nkese Landing Site, which left two people severely injured, and the March 13, 2022, fire at Mwena Landing Site, which destroyed eight houses.

In May 2022, a fire at Lukuba Landing Site in Kyamuswa Sub-county destroyed 104 houses, leaving more than 300 residents homeless.

Preliminary police investigations suggest that more than 70 percent of past fire outbreaks in Kalangala District have been caused by negligence, particularly from cooking stoves used in homes and restaurants.