Mbale traders count millions in losses as late-night fire guts Bugema market

Tragedy struck Bugema in the Industrial City Division of Mbale City on Wednesday night after a fierce fire gutted dozens of kiosks and market stalls, leaving traders and residents counting heavy losses.

Property and merchandise worth millions of shillings were reduced to ashes in the inferno, which began around 11:00 p.m. in a parking yard near the Fahaab petrol station along the busy Mbale-Tororo road. Fueled by highly flammable goods such as plastics and tightly packed wooden structures, the flames rapidly spread through the commercial hub.

Eyewitnesses reported that the entire area was engulfed within minutes.

Mr. Moses Mafumo, a local resident, noted that while no fatalities or injuries had been confirmed by morning, the economic damage was devastating.

"At the moment, the cause of the fire has not yet been established as police launch investigations," Mafumo said.

The incident sparked outrage among locals and affected business owners, who expressed deep frustration over what they described as a delayed response by the Mbale Police Fire and Rescue Services. Many argued that the containment could have been faster had the response teams arrived earlier.

For many local entrepreneurs, the fire represents total financial ruin. Ms. Sarah Namono, a prominent trader in the area, wept as she recounted how she had recently secured a hefty loan from a local money lender to boost her business.

"I had just borrowed money to restock my stall, hoping to expand and attract more customers, but now everything is gone," Namono lamented.

With her merchandise completely destroyed, she expressed deep anxiety over how she would recover, let alone meet her looming financial obligations and repay the debt.

By 1:20 a.m. on Thursday, the scene remained a picture of despair. Dozens of traders and community members were seen sorting through the smoking debris in a desperate search for salvageable goods, while others stood by in visible shock and sorrow.

Elgon Regional Police Spokesperson, Mr. Rogers Taitika, confirmed the incident, stating that official investigations into the exact cause of the blaze are actively underway.

This is not an isolated incident in Mbale City, which has battled a string of devastating commercial fires in recent years. In July 2023, a similar blaze gutted the Kumi Road Market, destroying property worth millions. Prior to that, in April 2022, another fire swept through the Mbale Main Garage in St. Andrews Cell, South Central Ward, leaving mechanics and traders bankrupt.

The frequency of these incidents reflects a worrying national trend. According to the Police Annual Crime Report, the Directorate of Fire Prevention and Rescue Services registered 1,000 fire incidents nationwide. Notably, fire cases in the Elgon region rose sharply from 11 to 39 within a one-year period.

Nationally, residential and commercial structures remain the most vulnerable, with electricity-related faults accounting for nearly half of all registered fire incidents, followed closely by human negligence and the misuse of wax candles.

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