Fire guts 40 grass-thatched houses in Kotido

Kotido, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | More than one hundred people in Kotido district are homeless following a fire that gutted their grass-thatched houses. The fire, which started on Sunday in Potongor village, Panyangara sub county, razed down over 40 houses and properties.

John Moru, a resident of the area said the fire broke out at 4 pm. He says that the fire started in one of the houses of his neighbors. He explains that they tried different measures to contain the fire in vain.

According to Moru, some of the items that were destroyed included food that was distributed by the government.

“All the recently distributed food by the government to the families have been burnt to ashes and we don’t know where to start, “he said.

Matilda Angolere, one of the affected residents said the fire also destroyed all her property including documents that she uses for accessing senior citizens’ grants from the government.

Angolere says that the affected persons now sleep in the bush since they have nowhere to go.

Ambrose Onoria, the Kotido Resident District Commissioner said that they are investigating the cause of the fire. He however adds that preliminary findings indicate that the fire was started by a group of children who were playing with a matchbox near one of the houses.

He says that by the time the police arrived at the scene, the fire had spread to other houses.

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