Two children have perished in a fire that engulfed their parents house in Nabyewangwa village, Kkingo sub-county, in Lwengo district.The deceased have been identified as Monica Mirembe, 5 and Aloysius Mugisha, 6, while Antonio Akizimaana (9 years old) survived with injuries.
Reports indicate that their mother, Rosemary Nambuusi, had locked them inside the house and left for another village to deliver food to her husband. Upon her return, she found that the house had caught fire and was engulfed in flames.
The fire is said to have been caused by a candle that had been left burning inside the house at around 9:00 PM.The survivor, Akizimaana Antonio, managed to escape through the fire while raising an alarm, but unfortunately, help arrived too late, and the two younger children had already perished.
Residents expressed their frustration with Nkoni Police, accusing them of arriving late at around 1:00 PM the following day, hours after the incident had occurred.The father of the deceased, upon learning of the tragedy, rushed to the scene only to find that the police had already taken the bodies.
He pleaded with well-wishers to assist him, as he had been left with nothing.The village chairperson, Lukwago Stephen, blamed the parents for negligence and urged them not to seek legal action, stating that they were responsible for their children’s deaths.
Meanwhile, the Kkingo sub-county chairperson, Aloysius Kibira , advised parents to be more vigilant with their children, not only regarding fire hazards but also other dangers such as poisons and medicines left unattended in homes.
He also criticized the police for their delayed response, attributing it to a lack of proper transportation, and urged the government to improve logistical support for the police force.
The Greater Masaka police spokesperson, Twaha Kasirye, confirmed the incident, attributing the children’s deaths to a fire caused by the candle.He warned parents against locking children inside houses without adult supervision.The bodies have since been taken to Masaka Regional Referral Hospital for post-mortem examination.
