The fire that gutted warehouses in the Industrial Area including the Joint Medical Stores (JMS) outlet has destroyed items worth more than 7billion shillings.
The fire that broke out at Madhivani ware houses on 5th Street, Industrial area, Kampala gutted stores housing Star Pharmaceuticals Limited, Joint Medical Stores (JMS) and Mi-Tech, an electronics assembling company from a corridor where the welding was happening.
Mr Bildard Baguma, the executive director of JMS, says about Shs 7billion worth of equipment and medicines was lost in the fire.
“We can’t estimate the total cost of the damage but so far its beyond 7 billion shillings and we shall give the actual amount of loss caused as soon as the situation is back to normal.”
He said unspecified number of ICU beds were also destroyed in the fire.
According to witnesses, the fire is said to have started between 11 and 11:30am.
“It started at around at around 11:45 am in a single room with boxes where they were welding. They tried to use their emergency extinguisher but it was spreading because of the wind. Then it spread to the JMS that also has boxes of medicines and then to the Mi-tech store that has lots of plastics.
The police fire brigade was just arriving when we got to the scene at 12:10 pm.
“It was around 11:30am. We saw the fire in the Joint Medical Stores. They were welding and the fire sparked. They did not notice it at first but the fire brigade took long to come and everything has perished,” said Ms Zahara Nakazibwe, who works with Mi-Tech.
Nakawa Division Mayor Eng Ronald Balimwezo blamed the Engineers who constructed the warehouses for not creating enough space in between them which can be used in case of emergencies like this.
“As soon as the situation returns to normal, I and my engineering team we are going to ensure that required standards are implemented at these premises.”
By press time, more than 20 water trucks had been used in efforts to contain the fire.
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