Four children perish in Kisenyi maize store fire

Kampala. Residents of Kisenyi in Kampala Central Division were on Tuesday evening left in grief after four children perished in a fire that gutted a maize store.
The Kampala Metropolitan deputy police spokesperson, Mr Luke Owoyesigyire, said the children were in the store at the time of the incident.
“This fire spread so fast and the children who were inside were unable to escape. Locals and police tried to rescue them but it was too late,” he said.
Mr Owoyesigyire said the victims were taken to Mulago hospital for treatment but two of them were pronounced dead on arrival while the other two succumbed to the burns hours later.
“We are yet to confirm the cause of this fire but we suspect it was a fault in electricity connection. We shall know the exact cause of this incident after investigations,” he added.
Police identified two of the deceased children as Darlen Busulwa and William Kayiwa whereas the other victims’ details had not been gathered.
Ms Shifrah Nakityo who claimed to have witnessed the incident dismissed claims that the fire was caused by electricity suspecting it to have been an act of arson.
“This fire spread so fast and we suspect it was lit using petrol. We believe it was an arson act or there was some petrol inside the store. We tried to put it out but the fire was spreading too fast,” Ms Nakityo said.
In response to Nakityo’s allegations, police urged residents with vital clues on what could be the cause of the blaze to report to Kisenyi police or inform officers at the fire and rescue directorate for a comprehensive investigation.

Background

At least 12 children have died in fire incidents in Kampala City, Wakiso and Mukono districts since this year began.
Early this month, a mother and her three children died in a fire incident at Lugala-Ssugu village, Mpatta Sub-county in Mukono District.
Grief-stricken residents identified the deceased as Jamila Namusisi, 26, and her three children; Moreen Namusoke, Shamira Namirembe and one Shakira. However, there were uncoordinated accounts of the cause of the incident as some locals insisted it was caused by a burning object such as a candle or lamp inside the house. Others claimed a jerrycan of petrol was found abandoned at the scene, creating an impression that the house had been set ablaze by an unidentified person.A similar incident happened in Nabutiti-Kansanga in Makindye Division where a mother died alongside her three children.