Kampala, Uganda | NOW THEN DIGITAL — City House, a prominent business and shopping hub in Kampala, Uganda, experienced a destructive fire around 8:30 am on December 11. The blaze, which engulfed the Democratic Party (DP) office and various rented spaces, resulted in the loss of merchandise valued at millions of shillings.
Luke Owoyesigyire, the deputy spokesperson for Kampala Metropolitan Police, informed reporters that seven fire trucks and officers were deployed to manage the situation. Subsequently, Owoyesigyire confirmed the recovery of a body from the debris, indicating one casualty as a result of the fire.
Addressing the incident, Kampala Central Division Mayor Salim Uhuru emphasized the importance of property owners equipping their premises with firefighting equipment to mitigate damages caused by fire outbreaks. Despite the tragic events, he noted ongoing efforts to enforce by-laws requiring fire extinguishers on all properties. Uhuru expressed regret over the extensive damage caused by the fire but suggested that having firefighting equipment could have limited the impact.
As of the latest update, the cause of the fire remains unknown, and the Uganda Police Fire Brigade is actively working to extinguish the flames. The affected building encompasses restaurants and stationery shops on the first floor, textile shops on the ground floor, and office outlets on the third floor.
Respect to the Police Firefighters in action trying to put out fire at City House. They may not have the best facilities but you can’t accuse them for lack of effort.
When everyone’s running out, they’re running in; May God bless you for your services.
📸 @joelmwesigwa911 pic.twitter.com/4gOz0I53vc
— Joseph Beyanga Joe Walker (@Akeda4) December 11, 2023
WATCH: The remains of City House business centre in Kampala after it caught fire on December 11, 2023.
The cause of the Monday morning fire is still a subject of police inquest.#MonitorUpdates
🎥 @abubakerlubowa pic.twitter.com/cMSKEZDEKy— Daily Monitor (@DailyMonitor) December 11, 2023
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