At least 21 makeshift structures were destroyed in a fire that broke out at Mbondwe Cross-Border Market in Lhubiriha Town Council, Kasese District, on Tuesday afternoon.
The fire broke out at about 2:36pm on September 1 and destroyed property worth millions of shillings belonging to market vendors.
According to police, the fire brigade and rescue services personnel from Bwera Police Division, led by the Division Police Commander, SP Joseph Bakaleke, responded to the incident after being alerted.
“Fire had gutted 21 makeshift structures owned by market vendors whose names were not yet established,” police said in a statement issued by the Rwenzori East Region police spokesperson, ASP Elly Maate.
The firefighters managed to contain the blaze before it spread to neighbouring structures.
Police said no death or injury was reported in the incident.
“The preliminary cause of the fire was attributed to negligence after a charcoal stove was allegedly left unattended in one of the rooms”. Maate explained.
Maate asked residents and traders to exercise caution when using charcoal stoves and other sources of fire to prevent similar incidents.
