Thousands left homeless after Buvuma fire
"Over 110 engines, 60,000 fishing nets, 55 boats, 30 shops and cash estimated to be over sh2bn, were all left in ashes."
Property worth billions of shillings has been destroyed in a fire that gutted Ruwero Island in Buvuma district.
Godfrey Luigi, the Ssezibwa region Marine Police commander while visiting the scene located in Lyabaana sub-county said over 1000 people were left homeless.
Godfrey Luigi, the Ssezibwa region Marine Police commander while visiting the scene located in Lyabaana sub-county said over 1000 people were left homeless.
Luigi said that the fire is suspected to have started from one of the petrol stores which had over 5000 litres. He said that over 110 engines, 60,000 fishing nets, 55 boats, 30 shops and cash estimated to be over sh2bn, were all left in ashes.
Robert Migadde Ndugwa, the Buvuma District Member of Parliament, said that the good news is that no life has been lost in the tragedy.
Migadde said that the fire has left residents with nothing to eat and nowhere to sleep as almost everything they owned, including the fish they had caught the previous days all relished in the fire.
He called upon the Ministry of Disaster Preparedness and Refugees through the office of the Prime Minister, and Red Cross among other well-wishers to come to the rescue of his constituents.
The island which is only occupied by men has never been visited by any females.
According to the MP Migadde, this is the second time that the island is catching the fire of this nature in a space of over eight years.
