Police urge smoke detector installation after fire outbreak at Mbuya apartments
Police said the fire started around 1:15pm, and was contained by firefighters from the Kampala Fire Brigade.
Tanui said 67% of fires occur between 6:00 a.m. and noon, mostly in residential buildings and makeshift structures. School fires rose by 9% in 2024.
KAMPALA - The Police have urged property owners to install smoke detectors, among other fire prevention strategies.
The call follows a fire broke out at Rafik Apartments along Ismael Road, Mbuya, Nakawa division in Kampala city, on Friday, October 4, 2025, afternoon, destroying a room used as accommodation for workers.
Police said the fire started around 1:15pm, and was contained by firefighters from the Kampala Fire Brigade.
No casualties were reported. The case has been entered under Ref SD 12/03/10/2025 at the Fire Brigade Base, according to a weekend crime report shared on Tuesday, October 7, 2025.
Firefighters arrived promptly and prevented the flames from spreading to other floors. Damage to property was, however, described as “significant.”
The incident follows another fire a week earlier in Kireka Central Zone, Namugongo, which destroyed three rooms belonging to the Ministry of Gender after a gas cylinder exploded.
In February, the Director of Fire and Rescue Services, AIGP Stephen Tanui, reported a 13.8% rise in fire incidents between 2023 and 2024 — from 1,104 to 1,280 cases. Of these, 1,150 were contained, while 120 were managed before the brigade’s arrival.
Tanui said 67% of fires occur between 6:00 a.m. and noon, mostly in residential buildings and makeshift structures. School fires rose by 9% in 2024.
Police urge property owners to install smoke detectors and avoid leaving cooking gas unattended.
“Many of these fires are preventable,” said a fire officer at the scene. “We advise constant vigilance and regular inspection of electrical and gas systems.”