55 passengers survive bus fire in Murchison Park

At least 55 passengers Tuesday escaped without injuries after a bus they were traveling in caught fire in Nwoya District, authorities have said.

Dozens of passengers were seen at around fleeing the on-fire vehicle amid a smoke billow on the bus belonging to Nilestar Bus company.

Nilestar Bus authorities said the fire started upon reaching Kololo, a few kilometers after Pakwach Town, disclosing that the bus was traveling from Arua to Kampala City.

The incident happened at midday at Got Apwoyo Sub-county in the Murchison Falls Park area.

Speaking to Monitor on phone, Nwoya District Police Commander Richard Anyama said the actual cause of the fire was yet to be confirmed by midday.

"In the National Park, we do not have fire extinguishers to respond in case there is a fire outbreak. We only rely on the one from Gulu City which is about 100 kilometers away," Anyama added.

Survivors who spoke to Monitor believed the fire started after the bus suffered a tyre burst.

By press time, police said no injuries or fatalities had been confirmed but the general manager at the bus company, Mimi Hamid, said “all the 55 passengers who were on board escaped safely.”