Tragedy has hit traders in Nebbi town following a fire outbreak that left Garamba produce stores in Rock View Cell, Central Division in Nebbi, in ashes.
On Monday, a raging fire turned properties worth millions of shillings to ashes. This fire reportedly started at around 4:30am before spreading rapidly from a wooden makeshift bar to neighboring produce stores and electronic kiosks.
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Eyewitnesses added that the fire became uncontrollable when a gas cylinder exploded, extending the blaze to other makeshift structures.
Habaki Kumakech, an electronic technician who operates a shop near the scene, described the chaos.
“Our properties couldn’t be rescued because most of the businesses are being operated in makeshifts made of timber, and the fire was spreading at high speed.”
Colleen Onyuthuwun, a produce dealer, lamented the loss of her stock. “I had just stocked 10 bags of maize on Friday, but unfortunately, I lost everything within two days. It’s a great loss to me.”
Mr. Collins Asea, the police public relations officer for West Nile, reported that no lives were lost in the fire. However, he noted that police are yet to pinpoint the cause of the fire, which is suspected to have been caused by a short circuit due to loose connections in one of the kiosks.
“Police are yet to establish the cause of the fire outbreak, which caused damage to properties and rendered businessmen and women jobless,” he said.
Several traders, including Robert Anecho, who managed a family business, and Stephen Masendi, a timber dealer, reported significant losses. Anecho lost Shs4m worth of stock, while Masendi lost Shs7m.
“We started the family business last year around December through family contributions for raising school fees, medications, and upkeep, but an abrupt incident happened to us, and we lost everything we had in the kiosks,” Anecho said.
Mr. Masendi expressed concerns about servicing loans he had taken to stock his business. “I was operating the timber business with loans, and I don’t know if I will service the loans successfully.”
Mr Harriet Pimer, an entrepreneur, blamed the government for not providing a firefighting truck, which could have helped mitigate the damage.
“We blame the government for not protecting our business because the whole of greater Nebbi districts are without firefighting trucks, and yet towns are having patrol stations with flammable liquids,” she argued.
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