Electricity ruled out in Kasubi tombs fire
EVIDENCE produced before the commission of inquiry into the Kasubi tombs fire yesterday, indicated that neither electricity nor kerosene lamps caused the inferno.
By Florence Nakaayi
EVIDENCE produced before the commission of inquiry into the Kasubi tombs fire yesterday, indicated that neither electricity nor kerosene lamps caused the inferno.
Both experts from electricity company UMEME and the Government analyst said there were no evidence to suggest that the fire originated from the power supply box.
While explaining findings to the commission, Andrew Mubiru, a senior Government analyst, also ruled out the likelihood of a kerosene lamp being the source of the fire.
The experts based their conclusions on the grounds that the damage of the fire to both the power distribution board and the kerosene lamps appeared to have originated from outside.
“There was no kerosene in the lamp at the time of the fire. If the fire was from the lamp it would have burst,†Mubiru said.
UMEME officials Phil Ball and Robert Mubiru explained to the commission that the power supply mechanism was found intact could not have been the cause of the fire.
The Government analysts in their report concluded that arson could have been a possible cause of the fire.
Mubiru also said their findings ruled out the possibility of explosions, saying the pops people claim to have heard could have been created by air escaping from the space between the grass.
“Our laboratory test did not have any traces of volatile components,†he said.
Mubiru, however, told the commission that one of the doors at the back of the tombs which occupants said was rarely open was missing at the time of the fire.
Mubiru said many people at the site and cultural guards at different places of the tomb made their investigations difficult.
“We could not get as much information as we could have because clearing of the premises was going on and the place was congested,†Mubiru said.
Findings also indicated that the fire originated from the back of the tomb, as was earlier said by other witnesses.
EVIDENCE produced before the commission of inquiry into the Kasubi tombs fire yesterday, indicated that neither electricity nor kerosene lamps caused the inferno.
Both experts from electricity company UMEME and the Government analyst said there were no evidence to suggest that the fire originated from the power supply box.
While explaining findings to the commission, Andrew Mubiru, a senior Government analyst, also ruled out the likelihood of a kerosene lamp being the source of the fire.
The experts based their conclusions on the grounds that the damage of the fire to both the power distribution board and the kerosene lamps appeared to have originated from outside.
“There was no kerosene in the lamp at the time of the fire. If the fire was from the lamp it would have burst,†Mubiru said.
UMEME officials Phil Ball and Robert Mubiru explained to the commission that the power supply mechanism was found intact could not have been the cause of the fire.
The Government analysts in their report concluded that arson could have been a possible cause of the fire.
Mubiru also said their findings ruled out the possibility of explosions, saying the pops people claim to have heard could have been created by air escaping from the space between the grass.
“Our laboratory test did not have any traces of volatile components,†he said.
Mubiru, however, told the commission that one of the doors at the back of the tombs which occupants said was rarely open was missing at the time of the fire.
Mubiru said many people at the site and cultural guards at different places of the tomb made their investigations difficult.
“We could not get as much information as we could have because clearing of the premises was going on and the place was congested,†Mubiru said.
Findings also indicated that the fire originated from the back of the tomb, as was earlier said by other witnesses.