Fire burns family of three in house
Oct 04, 2010
ELIZABETH Kayendeke, a resident of Kamonkoli sub-county in Budaka district and her two daughters are nursing burns at Mbale hospital after a lamp exploded in their house.
By Vision reporter
ELIZABETH Kayendeke, a resident of Kamonkoli sub-county in Budaka district and her two daughters are nursing burns at Mbale hospital after a lamp exploded in their house.
It is suspected that the paraffin used in the lamp was adulterated by Kayendeke’s co-wife, Peruth Alowo, who is on the run.
“At about 8:00pm, I refilled the lamp with paraffin in a small jerrycan. But I noticed that the paraffin was more than what I had left. When I lit the lamp, it exploded into flames,†Kayendeke narrated on Saturday.
Kayendeke, 34, a teacher at Mivule primary school, sustained burns on both legs, the left arm and her face.
Her daughter, Mary Namungwe, 13, was burnt on the legs, the left hand, chest and the face, while the youngest daughter, Mercy Kayendeke, 2, sustained burns on the left foot.
“I had strapped Mercy on my back. As I fled to the door for safety while struggling to untie her, she fell near the doorway. Relatives rushed to our rescue,†Kayendeke said.
Her husband, Talisuna Bulamaye, a health assistant at Mollo health unit in Tororo district, declined to comment on the matter, claiming he neither spoke nor understood English.
Kayendeke explained that the previous day, she had a misunderstanding with Alowo, saying Alowo claimed she had stolen her herbs. The co-wife, reportedly warned Kayendeke that she would ‘discipline' her.
Ruth Okware, a nurse at the hospital, said the patients were improving.
However, Marion Kutusa, the eastern regional child and family protection unit officer, said she was not aware of the incident.
Kutusa said the incident was not recorded at the Budaka or Mbale Police stations.
ELIZABETH Kayendeke, a resident of Kamonkoli sub-county in Budaka district and her two daughters are nursing burns at Mbale hospital after a lamp exploded in their house.
It is suspected that the paraffin used in the lamp was adulterated by Kayendeke’s co-wife, Peruth Alowo, who is on the run.
“At about 8:00pm, I refilled the lamp with paraffin in a small jerrycan. But I noticed that the paraffin was more than what I had left. When I lit the lamp, it exploded into flames,†Kayendeke narrated on Saturday.
Kayendeke, 34, a teacher at Mivule primary school, sustained burns on both legs, the left arm and her face.
Her daughter, Mary Namungwe, 13, was burnt on the legs, the left hand, chest and the face, while the youngest daughter, Mercy Kayendeke, 2, sustained burns on the left foot.
“I had strapped Mercy on my back. As I fled to the door for safety while struggling to untie her, she fell near the doorway. Relatives rushed to our rescue,†Kayendeke said.
Her husband, Talisuna Bulamaye, a health assistant at Mollo health unit in Tororo district, declined to comment on the matter, claiming he neither spoke nor understood English.
Kayendeke explained that the previous day, she had a misunderstanding with Alowo, saying Alowo claimed she had stolen her herbs. The co-wife, reportedly warned Kayendeke that she would ‘discipline' her.
Ruth Okware, a nurse at the hospital, said the patients were improving.
However, Marion Kutusa, the eastern regional child and family protection unit officer, said she was not aware of the incident.
Kutusa said the incident was not recorded at the Budaka or Mbale Police stations.