An entire family has burnt to ashes after fire from a neighbor’s makeshift house spread to their residence in Yoka zone Bukasa Parish, Makindye Division Kampala City.

The deceased have been identified as Luyomba Steven, 50, the head of the household, his wife Nafula Doreen, 35 and their three children Lubega Sumei, 16, Naiga Edith 15 and Andrew 7.

Kampala Metropolitan Deputy Police Spokesperson Luke Owoyesigyire, says the incident happened in the wee hours of Wednesday morning at about 2 am. He explains that the fire started from an unattended candle left by their neighbour identified as Ogola Charles, a dealer in picking plastics.

Owoyesigyire says that Ogola left the candle burning and went on his usual duties causing his makeshift house to catch fire, the wild flames later spread to Luyombo’s residence reducing it to ashes, along with everyone that was in deep sleep at the time.

Owoyesigyire says by the time Fire Prevention and Rescue Services managed to extinguish the flames it was too late to rescue the family members.

He has cautioned the public against leaving fires unattended as they are dangerous to others in case of an accident.

This is not the first time that a similar incident is happening.

On November 15, 2022, two children aged 1 and 4 years at Wang-lei A Village in Pakwach Town Council died in a grass thatched house that gutted fire after a candle was left burning.The candle was left burning by their mother who had reportedly gone to watch movies in the neighborhood.

On November 09, 2022, a  four-year-old girl and resident of  industrial zone, Kiyunga ward, Luuka Town Council perished in a house fire after one of the workers accidentally poured petrol into the charcoal stove.

In May 2022, four children perished in a house fire in Kira municipality, Wakiso district after a candle was reportedly left unattended to. The minors were left home by their mother Annet Naigaga, a dealer in roasted maize and sweet bananas in Kawuku cell, Kira municipality around 06:00am.

The dead are 8-year-old Even Namulindwa, 6-year-old Isan Kibuuka, both Naigaga’s children, and her granddaughters Noreen Nansubuga and her sister only identified as Cynthia, both below five years of age.

It is alleged that Naigaga had gone to fetch water from a well about 500 meters 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.