Authorities are currently probing the origins of a fire that consumed eight residences in Masese II cell, located in the southern division of Jinja city.
The fire was first noticed in one of the homes around 8:00 am. Residents initially dismissed it as a small incident that could be handled without external help.
However, the fire rapidly expanded to other parts of the area, leading the residents to call upon the Police fire and rescue services.
The area’s overcrowding and lack of accessible roads made it difficult for fire trucks to reach the crucial spots, resulting in the fire spreading without restraint. Police officers teamed up with locals, using water buckets to control the fire and stop it from reaching more houses.
Despite these efforts, a significant amount of household items, including electronics and utensils, were severely damaged. Immaculate Nakajuyi, who was working at the Jinja central market when the fire broke out, found out about the incident through social media.
She suffered a loss of her entire inventory, valued at Three Million Shillings, which she had stored in her house for sorting before selling.
Another local, Blessing Naigaga, expressed her frustration over the delay in cutting off the electricity supply to the affected areas, which hampered property salvage operations. Naigaga lost all her clothes in the fire and is now taking shelter with relatives in nearby areas.
James Mubi, the spokesperson for the Kiira regional police, confirmed the incident and hinted at the possibility of illegal power connections being the cause of the fire. Crime scene investigators and detectives have been assigned to conduct a thorough investigation.
Mubi also called on the authorities of Jinja city to rethink urban planning in slum areas, underlining the importance of access roads for faster response to emergencies like fires.