MBARARA – Traders operating within the Kampala centre of Kacenche parish, Nayikishenyi sub-County, Rukungiri district are counting losses after fire on Friday, destroyed their shops.
Elly Maate – the Police spokesperson, Kigezi region confirmed the incident – saying the fire had completely destroyed over 30 wooden lock-ups.
Baker Mwesigye – one of the traders narrated that the fire had started from one of the wooden lock-ups – spreading very fast to other surrounding shops – destroying merchandise worth millions in the process.
He said efforts to put the fire off through traditional methods of ferrying and splashing water using basins and jerry can yielded no tangible results. Mwesigye said that due to the long distance from Rukungiri town to Nyakishenyi – the Police fire brigade failed to respond in time.
Maurine Tuheirwe – another affected businessman said that the fire had destroyed merchandise worth about Ugx100m of her stock. She revealed that exact cause of the fire was unknown.
Maate said despite destroying merchandise – the fire had caused no physically harm to anyone – adding that investigations to find out the exact cause had been launched at Nyakishenyi Police Station under file number SD 09/13/01/2023.
This is the first incident in Nyakishenyi sub-county where fire guts a market, and burn lockups and merchandise.
