A toddler at Kyengeza Zone Salama, Makindye Division in Kampala has perished in a fire outbreak that happened on Monday at 2:00 pm, under unclear circumstances.
The deceased (names withheld) was left home alone with his older sister of one year, by their mother, who went to buy groceries from a the nearby Kyengeza Market. The mother, only identified as Mama Whitney did not inform neighbours she was leaving the house temporarily but returned to sad news.
According to eyewitnesses, they saw heavy plumes of smoke coming from Mama Whitney’s rental and heard the sound of children, prompting them to run to their rescue.
Luke Owoyesigyire the Kampala Deputy Metropolitan police spokesperson says by the time locals managed to put out the fire and pull out the two children, the toddler was already dead and his sister in a critical state.
Owoyesigyire says the other surviving child suffered serious burns and was rushed to Kiruddu Hospital while the body of the deceased has been conveyed to the city Mortuary Mulago for postmortem.
He says the police are yet to establish the exact cause of the fire as investigations into the incident have commenced. Owoyesigyire has appealed to parents and guardians not to leave their children unattended.
In May 2022, Four children died in a house fire in Kira Municipality, Wakiso district.
It is alleged that the mother had gone to fetch water from a well about 500 metres from her home and left the minors sleeping when the fire started. The children were inside their two-bedroom semi-permanent house with their 12-year-old sister, Catherine Nakkasi, who was preparing to go to school.
