A fire outbreak in Bwaise has destroyed multiple properties, including vehicles and nearby shops, leaving traders counting losses.
The blaze is reported to have started in the early hours of Monday morning at Mirembe Motors garage on Avis road before rapidly spreading to adjacent businesses. The garage, which housed motor vehicles, motorcycles and tuk-tuks, was completely gutted.
Flames later extended to nearby shops, causing extensive damage. Some employees said they were alerted by a watchman who called to inform them that the premises were on fire.
One of the workers, Joseph Kukose, said the cause of the fire remains unclear but suspected it could have been linked to flammable substances previously handled at the garage.
“We’re not sure if it was fuel stored in jerrycans or oil. It’s unclear because there hasn’t been any fuel here. We stopped selling fuel in bottles ever since it became scarce,” Kukose said.
Another worker, Mustafa Mukisa, said at least five customer vehicles that had been brought in for repairs were destroyed. He added that several motorcycles parked at the garage overnight were also burnt, although he could not confirm the exact number, as police had already sealed off the scene.
Lukia Nalunkuma, a fruit vendor operating near the garage, said she lost her entire stock, pineapples and watermelons worth about Shs 1 million. She explained that she had restocked the previous evening using money borrowed from a village Sacco.
Witnesses said the fire brigade responded at around midnight and managed to contain the blaze, although little could be salvaged. The affected garage is located near timber shops that have previously experienced fire outbreaks, raising concerns among traders about recurring incidents in the area.
Uganda Police Fire and Rescue Services has in the past attributed similar incidents to poor electrical wiring, illegal power connections in workshops and the close proximity of garages, timber yards and food vending stalls. Authorities have also pointed to business-related disputes, including disagreements between employers and employees, as possible triggers for some fires.
