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He spent his life chasing petrol dollars and died on Tuesday after several jerricans filled with fuel stored in his house exploded after the fuel dealer lit a matchbox.

The petrol explosion on the night of January 23, 2024, in Arua city led to the death of a newly married couple.

West Nile Police region spokesperson Josephine Angucia says the Ayivu East Division's territorial police are actively investigating the incident that unfolded at around 11:00 pm in Okuazaku cell, Arivu ward.

The victims, according to Angucia, are Lillian Fungaro Anguezaru, 20, and her husband, Emmanuel Adima, 30. Adima, Police say, is suspected of having been engaging in illegal fuel trade and smuggling from DR Congo and had stored numerous jerrycans of petrol in their residence.

“The tragic incident unfolded when Adima, having married Anguezaru just two weeks prior, lit a match within the petrol-saturated house,” she said.

The resulting flames consumed the building, leading to the instantaneous death of Anguezaru. Adima, attempting to escape through the blazing inferno, suffered severe burns all over his body, according to the Police.

“Promptly informed at 11:43 pm, the West Nile region head of Fire Brigade dispatched a crew to the scene. Despite their efforts, the fire had already taken its toll on the couple. Adimal, in critical condition, was rushed to Arua hospital but tragically succumbed to his injuries the next day (January 24),” she said.

Police inquiries have revealed the illicit activities of Adima and the dangerous storage of petrol within a residential setting.

Explaining what transpired, Angucia said: "Witnesses reported being awakened by the couple's screams, only to find their house engulfed in flames. The fire brigade managed to extinguish the fire, limiting the damage to the immediate property".

Preliminary investigations point to the ignition of a matchbox within the petrol-laden building as the likely cause of the tragic fire. The Police have urged illegal fuel dealers to cease such activities, emphasizing the unlawfulness and the deadly consequences of fire accidents.