MAK FIRE: We hope it is an accident says Nawangwe

Makerere University's main building caught fire in the wee hours of the Sunday morning.

Barnabas Nawangwe, the University Vice-Chancellor, says the administration is determined to restore the iconic historic building, known all over the world, the way it was. 

Makerere University is about to celebrate 100 years of existence in less than a year.

According to Nawangwe, the police fire brigade arrived in time but with small vehicles that could not push the water quite high, and by the time stronger vehicles arrived with cranes, the fire had already spread to other areas.

"The fire and its effects are a challenge to the University and the country at large," he said, adding that the very old timber of the roof made it easy for the fire to spread very fast." 

The Vice-Chancellor also noted that a number of documents were lost in the fire. He also hoped that it was caused by an accident.

Police start investigations 

According to a statement by the police, fire and rescue services responded and managed to contain its spread. 

"The fire is believed to have started from the roof spreading to floors that house both records and finance departments, destroying a lot of property," said Luke Owoyesigyire, Deputy Police Spokesperson, Kampala Metropolitan, adding that Investigations are going on to ascertain the exact cause of the fire. 

At around 4:00 am, efforts to save the left-wing of the building were being defeated by the highly powerful and forceful flames. The left-wing is custody of the Human resource/staff records of the university.