Bus passengers survive fire
Link bus that caught fire at Luswa village Nalutuntu sub county in Mubende District along Kampala to Fort Portal road on Thursday morning. COURTESY PHOTO
What you need to know:
- According to Police, the bus did not have a fire extinguisher which would have helped in extinguishing the fire.
- In July this year, a Kisoro-bound Jaguar bus caught fire and burnt to ashes, but all the 40 passengers escaped unhurt.
MUBENDE: Over 50 passengers have survived being burnt after the bus they were travelling in caught fire in Mubende District.
According to eyewitnesses, a Link bus Reg. No. UAM 610 T was transporting passengers from Kampala to Bwera in Kasese District on Thursday before it caught fire at Luswa village in Nalutuntu Sub County along Mityana-Mubende highway.
“The bus caught fire at Luswa village in Nalutuntu Sub County in Mubende district along the Kampala-Fort Portal highway,” the Wamala regional police spokesperson, Mr Nobert Ochom said.
He said police investigators suspect that the fire broke out as a result of friction from a tyre burst.
After receiving distress calls from passengers, police rushed to the scene and managed to rescue the passengers, their luggage and the engine of the bus, Mr Ochom added.
After waiting for about an hour, the management of Link bus sent another bus that transported the passengers to Kasese.
According to Police, the bus did not have a fire extinguisher which would have helped in extinguishing the fire.
The fire razed the windows and seats in the bus, eye witnesses said.
Ochom said the bus will be towed from the scene to Myanzi Police post. No passenger sustained injuries.
Police advised drivers and passengers to prioritize safety as they move along the roads.
This is the second bus to catch fire with passengers in less than six months.
In July this year, a Kisoro-bound Jaguar bus caught fire and burnt to ashes, but all the 40 passengers escaped unhurt.
Merchandise and other belongings of the travellers were all destroyed in the 7:30am conflagration at Nyakabande Airstrip, about six kilometres to Kisoro town.
