Buvuma implements petrol sale restrictions after deadly fires

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Fishermen in Buvuma Islands have been issued restrictions prohibiting the storage and sale of petroleum products within residential areas, in an effort to address the persistent fire outbreaks that have caused extensive loss of life and property.

The directive came from a group of leaders, including MP, Robert Migadde Ndugwa, Woman MP, Susan Nakaziba, Lyabaana Town Council chairperson, Bashir Ssenfuma as well as Uganda Red Cross Society officials during an inspection of the aftermath of a fire that destroyed more than 80 homes and property on Lyabaana Island.

Over the past two years, similar fires have taken lives and caused significant property destruction in the islands of Luwero, Muwama, and Lubya, all of which have been linked to the unsafe storage of petrol in residential homes.

“Given the wooden nature of the construction materials of our houses plus the congestion, when fire breaks and gets in contact with petrol in such houses, it spreads fast and causes devastating effects,” MP Migadde said.

A section at Lyabaana island where houses where burnt to ashes. (PHoto by Henry Nsubuga)

He added, however, that even with such recurring incidents, communities have failed to find a lasting solution to the danger.

Woman MP Nakaziba lamented that, unlike on the mainland, islanders take no precautionary security measures when dealing with petrol, which has made the fires a frequent occurrence.

“People cook freely, and others smoke in the same wooden houses where they keep jerrycans of petrol; if we do not style up now, the fires will become part of our life,” she cautioned.

Some of the food relief donated by Buvuma district to the affected people at Lyabaana island. (Photo by Henry Nsubuga)

Lyabaana caught fire on January 8, reducing 83 houses to ashes and leaving three people injured. One week later, Lubya Island caught fire, which was, however, put out before spreading widely. The leaders told New Vision that on Lubya, about ten households were affected.

According to Lyabaana Town Council Chairperson Bashir Ssenfuma, this compelled the leadership to henceforth ban locals from keeping petrol within their living premises.

He said modalities would be worked out for gazetting specific areas for keeping petrol. “Such gazetted stores for petrol must be restricted from smoking and any other form of fire sources,” he said.

Leticia Namukasa, the Lyabaana Town Clerk, said the new arrangement is to be formalised by cell chairpersons, who, in liaison with their councils, will formulate bylaws and thereafter forward the same to town council authorities for endorsement. She added that henceforth, it will be a punishable offence for anyone contravening the bylaw.

On Friday, the Uganda Red Cross Society and the Office of the Prime Minister delivered relief items, including tarpaulins, blankets, solar lamps, jerrycans, plates, cups, and saucepans, to the affected persons in Lyabaana. The items were formally handed over to the leaders at Kiyindi Landing Site before being loaded onto a boat for delivery to Lyabaana.

Edgar Ngonzi, the manager of Uganda Red Cross Society in Greater Mukono, said they first visited the affected residents and conducted an assessment before delivering the required relief items. Ngonzi, however, urged the locals to always guard their lives and property against such disasters.

Earlier, legislators Migadde and Nakaziba delivered sh2m to the affected people, in addition to an earlier relief of pairs of bedsheets by Nakaziba to the affected families.

Zebio Wasswa, the Buvuma district communications officer, together with the Assistant Resident District Commissioner, Fred Singoma, delivered the district’s food relief, which consisted of 1.5 tons of maize flour and 750 kilograms of beans.

Hassan Wasswa Kaziba, one of the affected people, said he was called late in the night at around 10:00 pm while he was out fishing and informed that he had lost his house and everything in the fire.

Kaziba said upon returning in the morning, he found that all his household property had been lost in the fire, and his son was among the three people who sustained grave injuries.

The affected people are currently receiving treatment at Kawolo Hospital in Buikwe District.

Hasfa Nangobi, who operated a dry-cleaning business, said she also lost her household property and clothes for her customers.

“We are calling for the Government’s intervention. We are appealing for iron sheets from the Office of the Prime Minister to help us reconstruct the houses,” Nangobi said.