At least 532 homes and commercial buildings were burnt in 2021 according to a report by the directorate of fire prevention and rescue services. The report released by Assistant Inspector General of Police -AIGP Joseph Mugisa, shows 364 residential homes and 168 commercial buildings caught fire last year.
Mugisa cites the causes of fires as negligence of home owners and individuals operating at the burnt commercial buildings. The negligent acts include leaving burning charcoal stoves inside houses or workplaces such as restaurants.
In total, police registered 1,258 incidents of fire but majority were caused by negligence which stood at 272, electrical circuit incidents were 186, charcoal stoves or candle wax stood at 164.
Mugisa adds that 99 fire incidents of last year were caused by electric appliances that were not attended to while 50 other incidents were deliberate acts of arson where people were seemingly revenging for various unknown reasons.
The fire incidents recorded last year increased by more than 240. However, Mugisa’s report is silent on number of people who were injured or killed in the fire incidents.