Over 40 escape as Hoima-bound bus burns in Kabarole
Eyewitnesses said passengers ran to safety, with some managing to grab their belongings while others escaped with nothing. No fatalities were reported, and only a few passengers sustained minor injuries during the evacuation.
More than 40 passengers narrowly escaped death after a passenger bus they were travelling in caught fire in Kabarole district. (Credit: Jonan Tusingwire)
KABAROLE - More than 40 passengers narrowly escaped death after a passenger bus they were travelling in caught fire in Kabarole district, causing panic and forcing them to flee for safety.
The incident occurred on December 31 2025, at Mugusu in Kabarole district when a Link Bus, registration number UBE 532H, travelling from Kabale to Hoima, caught fire and was quickly engulfed in flames.
The driver immediately stopped the bus and ordered all passengers to disembark. Moments later, flames erupted and rapidly spread, destroying the vehicle.
Eyewitnesses said passengers ran to safety, with some managing to grab their belongings while others escaped with nothing. No fatalities were reported, and only a few passengers sustained minor injuries during the evacuation.
The bus wreckage at the scene. (Credit: Jonan Tusingwire)
Police officers and fire brigade personnel later arrived at the scene to extinguish the fire and begin investigations into the cause of the incident.
Traffic along the road was temporarily disrupted as emergency teams worked to clear the scene. The affected passengers were later assisted to secure alternative transport to continue their journey.
According to eyewitnesses, the bus developed a mechanical problem after its rear tyre burst.
Elisa Karamagi, the bus manager, confirmed the incident, saying the rear tyre on the driver’s side burst, causing flames to engulf the entire bus.
“All people who were in the bus have been taken by another bus,” he said.