Several sources privy to the issue and well-informed telecommunications engineers interviewed for this story have contested UBC’s explanation. According to all of those interviewed, the fire was unlikely caused by a lightning strike. Even if lightning were a factor, they said, maintenance issues could be to blame, thereby still placing responsibility on UBC.
Officers from the Busoga North police fire and rescue services unit responded to the fire scene at around 6:30 pm triggering anger from the residents, who accused them of arriving more than 2 hours late at the fire scene.
The students told journalists that while in their classroom, they noticed a huge cloud of smoke coming from their dormitory, and rushed to check what was happening only to find fire spreading rapidly.
Living Twazagye, the Luwero District Police Commander explains that Kabuye together with his wife left Ssenyange and the toddler sleeping in the house and went to party in a bar.
Moses Bagiire, the chairperson of motorcyclists in Kaliro district, says that most of his colleagues are reluctant to adhere to the set guidelines at the pump stations, which he suspects to have triggered the accident.
The school administrators have remained tight-lipped on the matter, saying they are still working with the police to quantify the financial losses and damage resulting from the fire.
Wayelo's mother, Florence Achan says that they live in a deserted area and only noticed the fire when they saw huge flames. "Our house is located near the wetland and our neighbours who live about 100 meters away only noticed the fire when it had already spread all over the house," she said.
Eyewitnesses say that one of the walls in the market collapsed on the lockups hosting gas cylinders forcing them to burst. The leaking gas is reported to have spilt over before sparking off big flames of fire, which quickly spread to the rest of the neighbouring stalls.
Eight other students collapsed following the loss of their property and were rushed to Jinja Regional Referral Hospital for further management. It is reported that the fire broke out in the boys' dormitories around 7:00 pm.
The fire started at 9 p.m. and went on until midnight razed one of the clothing stores which had newly stocked bales of secondhand clothing and shoes. Police’s fire and rescue services unit, alongside Red Cross officials, contained the fire before spreading to the surrounding units within the market.
The Mayuge district police commander, Bashir Siriba says that they have launched inquiries aimed at ascertaining the cause of the fire, but for now efforts to screen the learners to confirm their availability and safety are underway.
Reports indicate that 45 kiosks were razed in the early morning fire. Despite efforts to contain its’ spread by both police firefighters and well-wishers, the traders were unable to rescue part of their merchandise.
"The fire broke out in the shops at around 10:00PM and there was timely response from police however, the fire was so big flames which deterred us from rescuing our property," says crafts dealer Fatia Nakigudde.
The fire is said to have broken out from one of the houses around 9:00 pm. Residents tried to contain the fire in vain because of the dry wood used to erect the makeshift shelters.
The deceased’s grandfather, Muhamudu Kakaire had gone to the garden and left the toddler under the care of his siblings. His seven-year-old brother is said to have locked the toddler inside the house and went to play with his friends only to return home and find the house engulfed with smoke.
The fire is said to have started from the hotel roof. Investigations are still ongoing by officers from the Police Fire Prevention & Rescue Services Directorate is yet to establish the cause of the fire.
Viola Namutebi, a retailer says that she lost property worth Shillings 5 million, which she had acquired through bank loans. Namutebi faults police for arriving late at the fire scene, which deprived them of the available possibilities to rescue part of their property.
