Print version
Plain textHOW IT HAPPENED: Fire Guts Top Kampala Nightclub
A full-scale blaze reportedly touched off by a short circuit burned out of control for more than eight hours Wednesday night, gutting Ground Zero, a popular bar in Wandegeya, Kampala.
Francis Ojango, the leader of a Police Fire Brigade team that fought the raging flames for hours, told Chimpreports the fire started at around 10:00PM when soccer fans were watching Manchester United play Galatasaray in the Champions league.
A one James, the manager of the club, came running on the stairs, banged on the door and shouted, “I can’t imagine this is happening. My club is on fire.”
Ojango said the fire started from the first floor of the nightclub before burning to ashes the entire multi-million equipment inside.
Wooden and sofa chairs, fridges, sound equipment, pool tables, giant television screens estimated at over Shs800m, were entirely consumed by the fire.
Shocked kids gather at the burnt Ground Zero nightclub on Thursday morning
Ojango confirmed there were no injuries.
“This fire started from the first floor. Boda boda riders then dashed in the club to alert those who were on the ground floor to quickly get out lest they get burnt. There was some sort of a stampede,” recounted Ojango.
The club, located a few metres away from College Inn and Barclays Bank (Wandegeya Branch), was closed to the public on Thursday morning.
Fire fighters, who arrived at the scene in minutes, lost any chance of saving anything in the club when the roof of the two-storey structure collapsed, covering the source of the fire. This prevented firefighters from directly attacking the blaze.
“We tried to gain entry, but the fire travelled so rapidly that the roof caved in prematurely. It did not allow us in. That’s when we lost it. It was out of control. But we ensured the fire did not spread to other shops in the same building,” said Ojango.
Eyewitnesses said the fire started from the structure's first floor
Detectives said there were conducting separate investigations to establish the cause of the fire and had no suspects in the case.
At the rear of the nightclub, one group of firefighters doused the flames to stop them from spreading to College Inn – less than 10 feet away while another team combated the fire from in front.
Within less than 30 minutes the fire had spread to the front of the building, sparking commotion and a monstrous traffic jam in the town, as flames shot in the air and smoke billowed high overhead.
Soccer fans were quickly evacuated.
Rate this article
Updated on 2013-05-09 09:25 |
We Buy | We Sell | ||
 |
Cash | US Dollar | 2,552.61 | 2,562.67 |
 |
Cash | Euro | 3,340.4 | 3,353.34 |
 |
Cash | British Pound | 3,948.69 | 3,963.99 |
 |
Cash | Japanese Yen | 27.66 | 28.5 |
 |
Cash | Kenya Shs | 30.42 | 30.54 |
 |
Cash | Rwanda Franc | 1.3 | 1.35 |
 |
Cash | Tanzania Shs | 1.56 | 1.57 |
 |
Cash | South African Rand | 280 | 295 |
-
Digital Evolution’s Positive Impact On Uganda12 hours ago
-
JLOS Moves To Enhance Justice In Post War Uganda2 days ago
-
KCCA To Reduce Monthly Charges For Traders2 days ago
-
Road Safety Rules For Drivers And Passengers3 days ago
