Shock gripped residents after One person currently nursing nasty injuries at Mbale Regional Referral Hospital almost died in a fire outbreak that gutted a Waragi processing plant in Mbale.
The injured, whose identity is still unknown, was rushed to hospital by residents following the inferno at 7:30 pm on Sunday.
The incident took place at the home of the victim in Wagagai Cell in Nkoma Ward in the Northern Division of Mbale municipality.
The exact cause of the explosion remains unclear however, area residents suspect that the inferno could have been triggered by someone who was smoking cigarettes.
The residents claim no one knew that the house that was initially a hostel and parking yard was now a Waragi distilling center because the place was always under tight security with entrance restricted to few.
Andrew Bongole, a resident who witnessed the explosion says at first they thought they were saving fuel since the building was a parking yard but to their astonishment, it was waragi exploding.
Bongole says police were swift in action and worked alongside the residents to quell the fire and rescue the feeble victim who had chocked on massive smoke and lay on the floor almost lifeless.
Nathan Wabusa, the Chairperson Wagagai Cell says the proprietor of the business Jimmy Khauka told him that he was starting a water plant.
Police are investigating the incident and will soon release a report on the cause of the fire.
