Baby burnt to death in Soroti night fire

By Dan Opolot

Groaning in agonising pain, Winfred Akoyo, 25, is fighting for her life on her bed at Soroti regional referral hospital where she is admitted.

Akoyo got severely burnt in a useless attempt to rescue her one-year old son Robert Oire from their burning house Monday night.

Her baby burned to death at around 11am on the fateful night after their house caught fire sparked off by a candle left burning as the family slept off.

Akoyo can now nurse her horrific double tragedy from the district’s main hospital.

“I cannot believe my son is gone and I am here not able to attend his burial and still not sure whether I will walk out of this hospital alive,” sobs Akoyo, tears trickling down her cheeks.

 “By the time I woke up, the whole house was full of smoke and I managed to pull out three other children but when I returned to save Oire, the burning roof collapsed on the toddler, killing him in the process. I got burnt as well,” recalls Akoyo.

A desperate confused and injured Akoyo seems to blame herself for her son’s death.

“I cannot forgive myself over my baby’s death. I feel like I should just die too because I cannot bear the pain,” she choked.

The area LC1 chairperson Charles Elietu blamed Akoyo’s husband Robert Esamu for being too drunk to help his wife in rescuing the kids from the burning house.

“He was too drunk to save his own life from the raging fire,” an enraged Elietu said.

Meanwhile, medics at the hospital where Akoyo is admitted say she is responding positively to the treatment.

The In-charge female surgical ward senior nursing officer, Margaret Akello said the injured woman has already received three liters of drip water.

“Her condition was serious before but she is now out of danger and we hope to add her blood very soon,” Akello told New Vision in a phone interview Tuesday afternoon.