Police in Kampala are digging deeper into a sorrowful fire incident that claimed the life of a one-year-old girl in Ssemwogere Zone, Nakawa Division, after flames engulfed a family home on Tuesday afternoon.
According to Kampala Metropolitan Police spokesperson Racheal Kawala, the alarm was raised by the area Local Council II chairperson after a rental belonging to a resident identified as Simon Semwogere caught fire, with reports that a child was trapped inside.
Firefighters responded quickly and managed to extinguish the blaze, but they discovered that baby Evelyn Najuma had died after suffocating inside the burning house.
Kawala revealed that early findings show the children’s mother had stepped out briefly to fetch water from a nearby tap, leaving her two young children inside. Investigators say the home had no electricity at the time of the incident, and it is suspected that the fire could have been sparked accidentally inside the house.
Najuma’s four-year-old brother managed to escape and rushed to call their mother for help. Unfortunately, by the time she returned, the roof had already given way, trapping the toddler beneath the collapsing structure.
Police have transferred the child’s body to Mulago Mortuary for a post-mortem and say inquiries are still underway to uncover what triggered the deadly fire.
Authorities urge communities to remain vigilant and safeguard young children, especially in homes without adult supervision, as investigations continue.