Africa-Press – Uganda. Gulu Main Market risks being reduced to ashes in case of a fire outbreak after fire extinguishers at the facility expired two years ago.
In 2017, the police fire department and the market authorities acquired 36 fire extinguishers that were installed in the market.
However, Daily Monitor has learned that the equipment, which expired in April 2019, is yet to be refilled or replaced.
The market leaders are now panicking over the matter.
Mr Andrew Ajore, the Gulu Main Market superintendent, said they are worried and want the fire extinguishers to be replaced as soon as possible to avoid a catastrophe in case of a fire outbreak.
“Should any fire break out, fighting it will be very difficult because the [Acholi] region has only two functional fire trucks, which serve the entire sub-region,” she told Daily Monitor on Monday.
“We want something to be done about this expired fire extinguishers as soon as possible to avoid losses in the future,” Mr Ajore added.
Meanwhile, Mr Patrick Omaya, the Gulu Main Market chairperson, said they have already tasked the Gulu City electricity department to act immediately and work on the extinguishers.
“It is a big risk staying in a market without fire extinguishers because people might lose a lot of properties, life, and money in case of a fire outbreak,” he said.
But Mr Christopher Lukwiya, the Gulu Municipal electrical engineer, said the matter has been brought to the attention of the town clerk.
“We forwarded the matter to the office of the town clerk so that they find a way of replacing them because in case of any fire outbreak, it will be difficult to fight it,” he said.
He confirmed the expiry of the equipment and noted that they become useless in case of a fire outbreak at the facility.
