Property, various businesses and homes have been destroyed as fire gutted Katooke village on Kome Island in Mukono District.
This has left several residents homeless and crying out to government for help.
The fire that is suspected to have started by unmentioned woman who woke up to light her charcoal stove with some fuel of paraffin mixed with petrol which exploded that she failed to stop it.
Due to the poor construction planning on the island, the fire widely spread; destroying one home to another to businesses, animals and birds.
Some of the residents narrated the flow of events.
Ms Tabitha Nankinga one of the residents on the island said that, “I was in my house when I heard people shouting and a lot of foot steps of people running by my house towards the lake.”
“It prompted me to find out what was happening, only to see houses on fire.” She added
Ms Carol Nabirye, a single mother of two and a restaurant owner on the island, was devastated – in tears – after her sole source of income was destroyed by the fire.
Ms Nabirye said: “That restaurant is where I get money to pay for my children’s school fees and also pay rent where I stay.”
“What am I supposed to do now that it destroyed.” She added
Efforts to contain the fire were in vain as the weather didn’t favor the process for it was windy and there was no fire brigade on the island to help fight the fire.
The LCI Chairperson, Mr Peter Kataswa appealed to government and Non Government Organizations (NGOs) to help his people in such a time.
Mr Kataswa said: “The fire has displaced about 200 people whose homes and their livilhoods have been destroyed.”
“I asked the government and NGOs to come and help these people because these people have no where to stay right now.” He added.
The OC Kalyambuzzi police post Mr Samuel Odongopinyi confirmed that no lives were lost in the fire.
Mr Odongopinyi said: “A lot of property and livestock has been destroyed by the fire, however, we have not registered any deaths of people as a result of the fire.”
The area Member of Parliament Hon Johnson Muyanja Ssenyonga who was also able to make to the scene called upon the Ministry of Disaster and Preparedness to intervene on the disaster.
Hon Muyanja said: “Due to such a disaster I call upon the ministry of Disaster and Preparedness to allocate some funds to help all those who lost their property in the fire so that they can get back on their feet.”
He advised the residents to always have a good construction plan when carrying out developments in the area.
Hon Muyanja said: “ I urge you to always plan well when constructing houses, instead of them being so close to each other.”
