By Robert Segawa
Inspector General of Police Abas Byakagaba has directed the Director of Logistics, AIGP James Apora, to provide emergency relief, including shelter, mattresses, blankets and posho, to police officers affected by a fire that gutted Wandegeya Police Barracks.
The evening fire destroyed property worth millions of shillings, leaving several police personnel counting losses and uncertain about where to spend the night.
Byakagaba reportedly abandoned his other duties at the Senior Command and Staff College in Bwebajja, Wakiso District, to join the Police Fire Prevention and Rescue Services team at the barracks in extinguishing the blaze and comforting the affected officers.
Firefighters were seen battling the flames as police officers and other people at the scene scrambled to rescue their belongings amid fears that the fire could spread to other sections of the barracks and destroy more property.
Kampala Metropolitan Police spokesperson Racheal Kawala said the cause of the fire had not yet been established, while the full extent of the damage and whether anyone had been injured remained unclear.
However, eyewitnesses at the barracks attributed the fire to a cooking incident involving food reportedly left on a charcoal stove. According to the accounts, plastic plates covering the food melted after it began burning, allegedly triggering the fire.
Kawala said the Police Fire Prevention and Rescue Services team was at the scene responding to the incident.
Investigations are underway to establish the cause of the fire and assess the extent of the damage, including the value of property lost.
Following the incident, Apora dispatched a team with tents, mattresses, blankets and posho to provide immediate assistance to the affected police personnel.
The emergency supplies are intended to offer temporary shelter and basic necessities to officers whose belongings were destroyed in the fire as police authorities continue assessing the situation.
