Saunas, steam baths: The danger lurking in new Kampala sensation

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A recent sauna explosion incident at Buziga Country Resort in Kampala that left several women severely injured exposed a chilling reality. The glossy allure of wellness facilities hides a dangerous truth: Widespread neglect and unsafe practices in saunas and steam baths are putting thousands at risk.

A 2023 National Building Review Board (NBRB) report revealed that 90% of these facilities lack proper safety measures, heightening the threat of catastrophic explosions and health hazards. Similar past incidents include explosions in Kira in September 2019) and Wakiso District in July 2021.

During a recent Twitter Space featuring Eng. Irene Kobusinge, Senior Investigations Officer at NBRB and Dr Oriba Dan Langoya, a physician from St Mary’s Hospital Lacor in Gulu, the discussion around the safety of saunas took centre stage.

As investigations into negligence and faulty equipment continue, the experts, who were hosted by former Vision Group chief executive officer Robert Kabushenga, sounded the alarm on this silent danger lurking in Uganda’s leisure industry.

Mechanical systems in buildings

Eng. Irene Kobusinge, a senior investigations officer at the National Building Review Board (NBRB), explained that mechanical systems in buildings go far beyond elevators.

“They include air conditioning systems, pressure vessels, boilers, and even fire suppression systems—all essential to modern buildings,” she noted.

For ordinary homes, she explained, mechanical considerations often stop at water supply, drainage, and basic fire safety.

But in public places like gyms, nightclubs, restaurants, or health clubs, she said mechanical systems are more complex—and far more dangerous when neglected.

Why buildings must breathe

Oriba weighed in with a medical perspective, noting that, “When we design buildings, very little attention is paid to health standards. For example, in healthcare, we insist that windows be at least three-quarters of wall size to ensure proper lighting and ventilation. Yet, in Kampala, people prioritise walls over windows. Poor ventilation facilitates the spread of respiratory illnesses.”

He pointed out the risks of air-conditioned spaces without natural airflow, especially in malls, hotels, and banks.

While air conditioner (AC) systems can filter air, he said they must be properly designed, installed, and maintained. Otherwise, Oriba explained, they create breeding grounds for respiratory problems, particularly among vulnerable groups such as asthmatics or those with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

“Even spacing matters,” he added. “In hospital wards, beds must be two meters apart. Yet many public facilities in Uganda cram people together. Overcrowding plus poor ventilation equals disease transmission.”

The growing urban trend of saunas, steam baths

Kabushenga steered the discussion to the heart of the matter, questioning the experts about how saunas and steam baths work.

Kobusinge explained that “A sauna uses dry heat, usually generated by a heater and stones, while a steam bath uses moist heat, generated by boiling water into steam.”

In modern systems, she said these two are independent, and further explained, “The sauna has its heater, while the steam bath has its generator. But in Uganda, many facilities cut corners, installing combined systems where one heater does both jobs.”

“When such a system is overwhelmed,” Kobusinge said gravely, “the steam has nowhere to go. If valves are closed or pipes corrode and clog, pressure builds. Without a proper pressure relief mechanism, the equipment blows. Think of a pressure cooker without a safety valve.”

In the recent incident, she revealed, the explosion was so powerful it ripped walls apart, showering clients with scalding water, debris, and fire, with some suffering severe burns and lacerations.

Nine in ten saunas unsafe

Kobusinge’s investigations uncovered a shocking pattern. “We did a study across the country. Out of ten saunas and steam baths, nine were potentially explosive. They lacked basic fail-safe mechanisms.”

As the revelation jolted listeners, Kabushenga pressed: “So you’re telling me that nine out of ten people who go into saunas are at risk of an explosion?”

“Exactly,” she confirmed. The problem, she explained, lies in poor maintenance and the use of substandard materials. Many boilers are built from galvanised tanks with weak welds. Uganda’s chlorinated water corrodes these tanks quickly, making them ticking time bombs. “People treat maintenance as a luxury,” she said, “yet these systems are bombs waiting to go off.”

Hidden dangers of carbon monoxide, corrosion

The risks go beyond explosions. Kobusinge described how chimneys, if not regularly cleaned, get clogged, causing carbon monoxide build-up inside saunas. Carbon monoxide poisoning is silent—it kills without warning.

Langoya confirmed, noting, “We have never measured carbon monoxide levels in these facilities, yet some people choke while inside. Long-term exposure can cause chronic illnesses that only manifest years later.”

Another hazard, Langoya said, is the inhalation of steam contaminated with corroded metal particles. “Breathing in steam with iron remnants is harmful,” he explained. “Micro-particles deposit in the lungs, causing long-term respiratory problems.”

Not everyone should use saunas

While saunas are marketed as wellness havens, Langoya reminded people that not everyone is fit to use them.

He said people with uncontrolled high blood pressure or heart disease risk fatal complications from sudden heat exposure. Additionally, he said, “Asthmatics and those with lung conditions can suffer dangerous flare-ups, while dehydrated or intoxicated individuals risk kidney failure when they lose more fluids in extreme heat.”

He noted, “Going into a sauna is like engaging in exercise. Your body must be prepared. But in Uganda, there are no screening measures. No one checks your blood pressure or hydration levels before you enter. Add overcrowding and poor hygiene, and saunas become health hazards rather than health boosters.”

Regulatory gaps

Both experts agreed that Uganda’s regulatory framework is inadequate. Kobusinge cited the Building Control Act, which requires professional designs for mechanical installations.

Yet in practice, most sauna and steam bath facilities have no professional designs. Instead, she said they are built by artisans copying previous unsafe systems.

“The history keeps repeating itself,” she lamented. “Without professional oversight, 90% of installations remain unsafe.”

Langoya argued that the health ministry must step in, working with institutions like the Makerere University Lung Institute to monitor air quality, oxygen levels, and carbon monoxide concentrations in public spaces.

“These facilities should not just be business ventures,” he said. “They must meet health and safety standards.”

What needs to change

Uganda’s rapid urban growth has fuelled demand for leisure facilities. Yet, without stronger regulation and enforcement, Langoya and Kobusinge said the very places designed for wellness may instead be sowing the seeds of injury, chronic disease, and death.

Langoya called for several measures, including mandatory health screening protocols for sauna users, collaboration between engineers and medical experts in approving designs, routine air quality monitoring in public facilities, and public awareness campaigns to educate Ugandans on the risks.

Kobusinge called for strict enforcement of the Building Control Act, banning combined sauna-steam systems in favour of modern, independent units, certification of materials and designs by professional engineers, and mandatory maintenance schedules with penalties for non-compliance.

A wake-up call

Kabushenga highlighted that Uganda’s casual attitude toward building safety is wanting. “Every time we walk into a building,” he reflected, “we assume it’s safe. But how much lead is in the paint? How strong are the welds on the boilers? How many of us ever ask?”

For many listeners, the discussion was a rude awakening. A one Herbert Zziwa commented and said, “Do you know 9/10 of the firewood-fuelled saunas are potentially explosive?”

Langoya reminded: “Not everyone belongs in a sauna. Without health checks, we are playing Russian roulette with people’s lives.”