Mother of Three Dies in Petrol Fire
A mother of three lost her life in an incident involving a fire while she was selling petrol in Akokoro parish, Akokoro sub-county, Apac district, . The incident occurred in Aluga trading centre, which is located in the hometown of former President Apollo Milton Obote.
According to reports, the unfortunate incident took place on a Sunday afternoon when Sarah Ekit Ogwal, a businesswoman at Aluga, was filling plastic bottles with petrol. During this process, her slightly over one-year-old child accidentally knocked over one of the bottles, leading to the petrol flowing towards a charcoal stove. As a result, flames erupted, engulfing the room and causing serious burns to the child.
Denis Ambrozoli Onapa, the LC1 chairperson of Aluga, stated that the incident occurred around 12:30 pm. Efforts to rescue the woman were hampered as she attempted to save her property, resulting in the jerrycan from which she was drawing petrol exploding in flames. Subsequently, two other petrol-filled jerrycans in the house also exploded, leading to the entire room being consumed by flames.
Despite attempts by onlookers to break into the house from the rear within 10 minutes of the incident, the intense heat and fumes prevented anyone from entering. Onapa emphasized the importance of separating fuel storage from living spaces, particularly for those engaged in selling fuel at home.
The incident highlights a growing trend in the trading centre, where several residents have turned to selling petrol due to the increasing demand for the fuel. Unfortunately, the North Kyoga Police region spokesperson, Patrick Jimmy Okema, did not respond to requests for comments about the incident.
