Africa-Press – Uganda. Police in Central Division Fort Portal City in western Uganda have said the devastating fire on September 21, which led to the destruction of car repair workshops, hotel kiosks, and other valuable assets worth millions of shillings, was ignited by a cooking stove within one of the kiosks.
The fire quickly spread, engulfing adjacent properties and leaving traders and business owners facing substantial losses.
According to Mr Vincent Twesige, the spokesperson for the Rwenzori West Police, the fire consumed numerous properties, including vehicles undergoing repairs in the garage and various kiosks.
Fortunately, there were no reported casualties.
Among the vehicles destroyed by the fire were UAY 110J, UAN 991T, UBG 883F, UBB 540N, UAS 500 U, UAT 556L, and UDN 223U.
“It was determined that the fire originated behind the Giraffe View (Tian Bar) wall structure and rapidly advanced towards neighboring structures,” said Mr Twesige.
In addition to the vehicle repair garage and kiosks, the fire also ravaged a wooden cinema video hall, including all its equipment, and an electric distribution wooden pole.
Parts of the Tian Lounge and Bar were also damaged, prompting the owner, Mr Patrick Kamulindwa, to request a thorough police investigation into the incident.
An eyewitness reported that the fire began at approximately midday within one of the kiosks before spreading to others, including the car repair garage.
At the time of the outbreak, the hotel owners inside the kiosks were preparing meals.
The affected kiosks were situated a short distance from the main Kahungabunyoyi-Mugoma road, currently under construction, in Rwengoma A cell, Rwengoma Ward, Central Division, Fort Portal City.
These kiosks were primarily constructed using timber, which contributed to the rapid spread of the fire from one structure to another.
While the police fire brigade arrived promptly to extinguish the flames, some residents expressed frustration over what they perceived as a delayed response.
Ms Anna Tusiime, a hotel kiosk owner, recounted her losses, stating, “The fire has destroyed all the equipment I used for my business, and the food I had prepared was also ruined. I don’t know what to do.”
Before the police fire brigade’s arrival, local residents made efforts to salvage some properties, including spare parts from the cars.
An eyewitness, Ms Barbra Nabaasa, claimed that the fire originated in one of the computer library kiosks and quickly spread to adjacent structures.
She explained, “There is one computer library kiosk where sparks first ignited, and from there, it spread to others. However, police investigations will provide more definitive details.”
Mr Richard Muhumuza, the Mayor of Fort Portal City Central Division, revealed that preliminary findings indicated that the source of the fire was indeed one of the kiosks, as most of them were cooking when the fire erupted.
He noted that the widespread use of timber for these kiosks made them vulnerable to fires.
This incident bears resemblance to a fire in the same area last year in February when kiosks and furniture workshops along Fort Portal-Bundibugyo road were gutted, with the fire starting in one of the kiosks.
In May this year, a fire destroyed kiosks at Kabudaire market in the central division during the morning hours, leaving traders with significant losses.
In 2019, a fire also devastated buildings along Kasaija road near the lorry park in Fort Portal after a truck carrying fuel canisters exploded, resulting in one fatality, several injuries, and substantial property damage.
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