Police have confirmed that the Sunrise hotel lacked a functional fire hydrant, and that the business operating below the hotel was dealing in highly flammable chemicals, escalating the fire outbreak that claimed two lives and left property worth billions ravaged.
In a press briefing at the Police Headquarters in Naguru, Kituuma Rusoke, the Uganda police spokesman detailed the difficulties faced during the fire response.
He stated that the hotel’s firefighting capabilities were insufficient and firefighters had no capacity to fight a blaze effectively.
“I spoke with our firefighters, and I asked them, ‘What is your assessment of the hotel’s ability to fight fire?’ Their response was clear: the hotel had no such capability. It didn’t even have a working hydrant to help with the firefighting effort,” Rusoke stated.
He further mentioned that the hydrant was so dysfunctional that it could not even water plants.
“The water hydrant cannot even water plants. Because what we are saying is that if you have this equipment with you, by the time police comes, because police does not park near your structure. Police does not keep its firefighting equipment in your park yard. At times, you may even have a fire when the same machines are somewhere combating another. There is traffic jam. So, you must account for a time lag.” he said
Rusoke also explained that the fire department had to overcome significant obstacles when responding to the fire. A lack of access to the building, due to poorly planned infrastructure and traffic congestion, made it challenging for fire trucks to get close enough to use their ladders and rescue those trapped in the upper floors.
“When our team arrived, the situation worsened. Access to the building was an issue, and the layout of the structures made it very difficult to save lives from the upper floors,” he added.
The fire, which took place in a building that housed a business dealing in flammable materials, resulted in the loss of two lives, according to police.
“They were operating a business below the hotel because the hotel was in the upper floors. Now, the business was dealing in chemicals which are highly or potentially flammable, highly flammable. And now, our team is assessing the fire fighting capability of the structure.” he said
Rusoke said that such businesses must take extra measures to safeguard against fire hazards, especially when dealing with chemicals that can exacerbate fire risks.
Police also condemned acts of theft that occurred during the fire. Some individuals exploited the chaos to steal property from the hotel, prompting a stern warning from Rusoke.
“While we thank the members of the public who helped in the rescue effort, we also condemn those who turned the situation into an opportunity to steal. If we catch anyone with stolen property, there will be no questions asked,” Rusoke said.
He further assured the public that police would ramp up engagements with business owners, particularly in the Central Business District (CBD), to ensure that safety protocols are followed more rigorously in the future. The Director of Fire and Rescue Services, alongside the Commander of the Fire Brigade, plans to lead additional engagements aimed at improving fire safety measures across businesses in Kampala.
“We will work together to mitigate incidents like this in the future. Lives and businesses are being lost because of poor safety measures, and we can no longer ignore these risks,” Rusoke said
Fire broke out at Sunrise Hotel on Rashid Khamis Road, Kampala, on Wednesday, starting on the first floor and quickly spreading, trapping people on upper levels.
The building lacked proper fire suppression systems, worsening the damage. Two fatalities have since been confirmed: Akot Akol Arop Chan (South Sudanese) and Mwindadi Shineni Isa (Tanzanian). Investigations are ongoing.
