A tragic incident unfolded in Jinja City on Sunday when a commuter taxi caught fire, leading to the deaths of a woman and a minor. The fire broke out at 4:30 pm on Clive Road East, just a few meters from Jinja Taxi Park, in a taxi bound for Mbale.
Witnesses reported that the fire started from the rear of the taxi. Unfortunately, the door lock system appeared to have jammed, trapping the passengers inside. Several passengers sustained injuries and were rushed to Jinja Regional Referral Hospital in critical condition.
Erisa Mugweri, a survivor, recounted the harrowing moments before the fire erupted. “We boarded from Jinja Taxi Park, we were 12 including the driver and his conductor but shortly after taking off, we saw some smoke coming from the exhaust pipe which consequently burst,” Mugweri explained.
The majority of the occupants were rescued by quick-thinking community members who rushed to the scene. However, the police fire and rescue team, despite being nearby, arrived too late to prevent extensive damage. Two bodies were recovered from the wreckage and transported to Jinja Hospital mortuary.
Residents expressed their frustration with the police fire brigade for their delayed response, considering the proximity of Jinja CPS to the accident scene. As of press time, the police had not yet issued an official statement regarding the incident.
