Family of seven perish in fire in Bukedea

ACCIDENT

A family of seven people were on Tuesday night perished in a fire in Kamutur trading centre in Kamutur sub-county of Bukedea district.

The Police have identified the deceased as John Okoboi,30, (father), Florence Ajimo, 26, (mother) and their four children; Ann Adongo, 6, Charles Okwalinga, 4, Loy Apolot, 2, and Alfred Okidi aged two months. Dinah Kayayi, 15, a sister to Okoboi's wife was among the dead.

The Police preliminary report indicates that Okoboi has been dealing in crude petrol oil business in his grass-thatched house.

East Kyoga regional police spokesperson Michael Odongo said on Wednesday morning that Okoboi's wife carried a charcoal stove into the same house where there was petrol, which sparked off fire.

The District Police Commander Bukedea, Emmanuel Lorika, said his team of investigators is on the ground to get the full report of what happened.

The remains of the dead were picked by the Police in the night and were taken to Bukedea Health Centre IV mortuary.

The family is said to have been from Kamenya village in Nyero sub-county in Kumi district, but has been doing business in Kamutur trading centre

 Hellen Aanyu, a resident, said they heard a sound and on coming out of her house, she found her neighbour's house was on fire.

"There was no way of rescuing them because all the eight jerrycans of petrol had caught fire inside their house and the fire was too much for anybody to dare enter," said Aanyu.

Michael Ingwale, also a dealer in petrol in Kampala trading centre and a close friend to Okoboi, said they both stocked fuel on Tuesday evening. 

The Police reports show that this is the first kind of incident in Bukedea district this year.

In December 2016, Miriam Angole, 9, and a Primary Four pupil of Odoot Primary School in Palam sub-county, Katakwi district was burnt to death at Odoot Trading centre as a result of petrol fire.

Her mother, Debula Aranit, was refilling the bottles of petrol near a charcoal stove, which sparked fire.

Police has cautioned locals against  putting fire in the same house with petrol.