Jinja, Uganda | By Michael Wandati | By Michael Wandati | In a tragic incident on Clive Road East in Jinja City, chaos ensued as a commuter taxi bound for Mbale suddenly caught fire on Sunday evening.
The blaze, which began around 4:30 PM just meters away from Jinja Taxi Park, claimed the lives of two passengers, including a woman and a minor, who tragically died on the spot.
Several other passengers sustained severe injuries and were rushed to Jinja Regional Referral Hospital for urgent medical care.
Eyewitnesses reported that the fire started from the rear of the taxi registration number UBA 463V.
Despite efforts to escape, occupants faced challenges as the car-locks jammed, making it hard for occupants to exit and causing panic among those onboard.
Authorities are investigating the cause of the fire as survivors recover from the ordeal, highlighting the urgent need for enhanced safety measures within the city’s public transportation system.
“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,” Erisa Mugweri, one of the survivors said.
Following the devastating fire that engulfed a commuter taxi, witnesses reported that the vehicle’s lock system had jammed, severely hindering the escape of occupants.
Prompt action by community members, who swiftly responded to the scene of the blaze, rescued most of the passengers from the vehicle, commonly known as “Drone,” as flames consumed it.
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Despite efforts by the police fire and rescue team to extinguish the fire upon arrival, the damage had already spread extensively.
Tragically, two bodies were recovered from the wreckage and transferred to the mortuary at Jinja Hospital.
Residents expressed frustration with the police fire brigade, criticizing their delayed response despite the proximity of Jinja Central Police Station to the accident site.
As of press time, police had not issued an official statement regarding the incident, leaving many questions unanswered amidst the city’s grief and recovery efforts.
