Business paralysed  as hotel collapses in Fort Portal town

KABAROLE- Business in down town Fort Portal town was on Thursday paralysed after Corner Stone Hotel building collapsed.

The debris from the collapsed building blocked Magambo Street for several hours.

Mr Julius Asaba, who operates a shop on the building said he was serving customers by the time sections of the building collapsed.

 “I was busy inside my shop serving my customers. We just heard noise and within a minute, water and stones filled my shop to the shock of everyone,” Mr Asaba said.

He said the water destroyed merchandise like sacks of posho.

Kabarole District Police Commander, Mr Musa Tibakirana said they would investigate circumstances that led to the collapse of the building where water tanks were installed.

Fort Portal Municipality Mayor, Rev Kintu Willy Muhanga condemned the incident saying that the Municipality engineer should explain why it collapsed.

“This is now an eye opener leaders because I know this town has many buildings that do not have approved plans and we are going to start an operation to ascertain the status of all buildings,” Rev Muhanga said.

Fort Portal Municipality Engineer, Mr Emmy Balewa said he is shocked that the building collapsed and that they are now going to establish whether the extension of the structure was approved by the council.