Millions of Shillings lost in Adjumani market fire
Some of the traders look at the ruins of their properties after fire razed Awindiri Market in Adjumani. PHOTO BY FELIX WAROM OKELLO
What you need to know:
- Adjumani Town Council LC3 chairman Patrick Tandrupasi said they will register the traders who have lost their goods for possible compensation.
- This is the second fire incidence in less than four days in Adjumai Town as unknown persons on Saturday night set ablaze the house of LC1 chairman Forua Village while he and two others were asleep burning them as a result.
ADJUMANI. Traders in Awindiri Market in Adjumani Town Council have said they lost about Shs 20 million after a fire razed their market on Tuesday afternoon.
Close to 150 traders’ merchandise was completely destroyed, with some saying it will be difficult to repay loans they borrowed to boost their business.
One of the traders, Ms Grace Masudio, told Daily Monitor that she has lost goods worth about Shs1.5 million in the fire including personal effects.
“I pay my children’s fees with the proceeds I get from this business. Now I do not know where to start from because I still have some fees balance to pay. This is a double tragedy because this is my only source of livelihood,” Ms Masudio said.
Source of fire
According to preliminary investigations by the police, the fire started from a charcoal stove left by a food vendor.
The Adjumani District Police Commander (DPC), Mr Motoka Kawa said they failed to fight the fire due to lack of necessary fire-fighting equipment but they arrived at scene on time.
“We are already in the process of placing a request for firefighting equipment,” DPC Motoka said, urging the residents to be vigilant as the fire could have been caused by actions of unscrupulous people.
The police in the region are poorly equipped with fire-fighting equipment.
Most stations lack firefighting equipment with the exception of Arua, whose firefighting truck has also broken down beyond repair.
Adjumani Town Council LC3 chairman Patrick Tandrupasi said they will register the traders who have lost their goods for possible compensation.
“We hope to talk to the relevant authorities to see how they (traders) can be helped. This is a huge blow,” Mr Tandrupasi said.
This is the second fire incidence in less than four days in Adjumai Town as unknown persons on Saturday night set ablaze the house of LC1 chairman Forua Village while he and two others were asleep burning them as a result.
