24 lives lost in 10 tragic minutes: Here’s what Kigoogwa remembers

On October 22, an ordinary day at Kigoogwa trading post on the Kampala-Gulu highway turned tragic when a fuel tanker with registration number UAM 292Q loaded with gasoline suddenly veered off the road, lost control and later burst into flames on the roadside.

The accident caused at least 11 people to die at the scene. On Sunday afternoon, October 27, Police Medical Services director and chief pathologist Dr. Moses Byaruhanga confirmed that the death toll had risen to 24. Of the dead, 18 were men and six were women, and three young children were among the victims. The remains of the young children, including the three legs, remained in the morgue of Mulago hospital.

“At the scene, the first 11 bodies were so burned that they could not be physically identified and we used DNA analysis to match them with their relatives. All of these bodies were later handed over to the families,” said Dr. Byaruhanga.

While a few survivors narrowly escaped the deadly inferno, they were left with permanent scars and trauma from an incident that plunged the Kigoogwa trading post into deep mourning.

LIFE IN KIGOOGWA IS DEFINITELY AFTER DEVASTATING TANKER EXPLOSION

On October 22, 2024, a day after the fuel tanker explosion that claimed lives and caused widespread destruction, The Observer visited the scene at Kigoogwa trading centre, where people had gathered and watched online videos in the hope of identifying those killed and missing.

The atmosphere was tense as residents grappled with the scope of the tragedy that had ravaged their community. Land broker and resident Mathias Musaazi witnessed the explosion occur within minutes. While crossing the highway around 2.50pm, he noticed a fuel tanker shouting insistently.

The petrol-laden tanker had lost control near a government-installed CCTV camera near a side road leading to Migadde; Incidentally, it is the same place where former NRM national treasurer Rose Namayanja crashed in October 2015.

“I saw the car swerve off the road, overturn, and with a loud noise, one of the four fuel compartments shattered,” Musaazi recalls.

The tanker driver, described as an elderly man in a red shirt, jumped out of the vehicle along with another man he called his “boss.” When the fuel started leaking, the duo asked people around to clear the area, but the sight of the fuel attracted a large crowd. Musaazi watched from close range before retreating to safety.

According to Musaazi, the sloping road and lack of speed bumps made it difficult for the driver to control the tanker in the busy commercial centre. A taxi driver, whom some blame for the accident, had parked to allow passengers to get off before the truck approached, emphasizing that the narrow road left him with limited options for safe parking.

As fuel continued to leak, citizens rushed to collect the fuel. A boda boda rider named Kayima became the first person to use a bidon, causing a wave of excitement as others joined in. Among them was a retired UPDF officer, locally known as Afande Mulema, who died in the flames.

Another injured, builder Morgan Samuel Matutu, was seen in a viral video trying to siphon fuel on top of his truck. According to his widow, Florence Nampijja, Matutu initially collected a basin of fuel but returned for more. Tragically, the tanker exploded during this second attempt. Nampijja learned of her husband’s death from a neighbor.

Musaazi also described an interaction he had with the driver shortly before the explosion. He stopped at a safe distance and asked the driver what caused the accident. The driver reportedly explained that the truck’s brakes had failed.

The driver allegedly said, “I left my smartphone inside but I can’t go back because I know the truck will burst into flames at any moment,” adding that he wanted to steer the vehicle towards a nearby valley in Ntove, but this could not be done due to brake failure.

When the truck was fired upon, Musaazi noted that the driver regretted losing control in such a densely populated area and that the crowd ignored his repeated warnings. The flames spread quickly and severely damaged nine stores, including businesses dealing in plastics, plumbing supplies, clothing, hardware and phone accessories.

The fire followed the trail of spilled fuel, spreading for about 200 meters and engulfing people living in rented houses behind the shops. Many tried to escape through a narrow corridor with a moat, causing injuries while trying to escape.

Safe Zone General Hardware Manager, Claire Mutiibwa, said her business suffered huge losses and her employee, Patrick Okello, continues to receive treatment at Kiruddu hospital after being trapped in a fire that broke out while closing the hardware store.

“We had restocked about 200 pieces of iron rods, plastic barrels, hookahs (more than 40), tarpaulins and other items; all of these were lost in the fire,” Mutiibwa said.

ÖZGÜR JOSEPH

For boda boda riders in Kigoogwa, the chance to collect spilled fuel from the overturned tanker seemed like a rare opportunity. But as they surrounded the truck, 24-year-old Joseph Muwonge, who worked at a local video library, was focused on a different mission: rescuing children trapped in the store. Before he could complete his mission, flames engulfed the area and left him stranded.

The next morning Muwonge’s body was found still sitting in a corner; This was the final evidence of his final selfless act.

“At first we thought he was running away from the fire, but that’s not the case anymore,” said 21-year-old Jazirah Nampijja, who staggered along the main road in disbelief after learning DNA results confirmed her worst fears – that her husband was among the dead. in place. Fighting back tears, Nampijja described Muwonge as a calm and caring man who lost his life saving young children. He was visiting a friend nearby when the explosion occurred. “If being alone is God’s plan, there’s nothing I would change,” she said as she held her two young children.

Another family shared the heartbreaking story of 20-year-old Brian Serwadda, who died in the explosion. His brother Ivan Jjuuko described his last moments.

“I left Brian at home that morning, but later I received calls saying the village was on fire. My brother was last seen in a viral video, wearing a white shirt and black shorts, walking near the truck with his hands in his pockets, seconds before the explosion,” Jjuuko said.

Five days after the tragedy, his family collected the remains of Serwadda, who was identified through DNA testing, and buried him at Nkokonjeru in the Buikwe district.

BODA BODA RIDER’S Narrow Escape

Abdul Ssebwana, a 26-year-old boda boda driver, narrowly escaped death in a fuel tanker explosion in Kigoogwa on October 22. In a viral video, Ssebwana can be seen wearing a black jacket and carrying a white canister of gasoline just after the explosion. Although his jacket briefly caught fire, his fellow drivers quickly extinguished the flames, leaving him with only minor injuries.

At the time of the incident, Ssebwana was eating lunch at a roadside restaurant and watched others try to collect spilled fuel.

“For the first time, I watched the boda boda riders fill the bins with my food in hand. The truck driver was shouting at people to leave but no one listened,” said Ssebwana. Observer. “A few minutes later I grabbed a five-litre canister and collected some fuel to pour onto my motorcycle after the explosion.”

This was not Ssebwana’s first close encounter with a fuel tanker tragedy. He was at the site of the deadly Namungoona eruption in 2013 but avoided collecting fuel that day.

“I survived Namungoona because the fuel truck exploded in front of us. I saw people fighting for their lives but that didn’t stop me from collecting fuel in Kigoogwa. “Even though we all knew that oil was dangerous, people collecting fuel were desperate to make a living,” he reflected.

Ssebwana’s family believed he died in the Kigoogwa eruption. When he came home around 9 pm, he found his wife and children in tears after being told by neighbors that he did not survive.

“My wife was convinced that I would not give up free fuel; “That’s why he thought I was caught in the explosion,” he said.

When asked if he would risk fuel collection again, Ssebwana explained the economic pressures that lead to such choices.

“Life is hard and customers aren’t paying enough. I spend about Shs10,000 on fuel from morning to night every day, but this free fuel lasted me for three days. “If God decides to involve me in something else, then that is His plan,” he said, pointing to the harsh realities many face in Uganda’s high-cost economy.

SAFETY AND BURNS EXPERTS ARE IMPORTANT

Following the tragic fuel tanker explosion in Kigoogwa, most of the victims were first taken to hospitals in Bombo and Matugga before being transferred to Kiruddu national referral hospital, Uganda’s only specialized burn centre. The severity of the injuries required further intervention and some patients succumbed to their injuries due to extensive burns despite medical attention.

Dr Rose Alenyo, a burns and plastic surgeon in Kiruddu, said the condition of the patients was critical. He emphasized the importance of immediate first aid for burn injuries and stated that “the less deep the burn, the higher the chance of recovery.”

Alenyo noted that after any burn injury, it is important to quickly remove the victim from the heat source and then rinse the affected area with clean, room temperature water for at least 30 minutes. He explained that this practice reduces pain and limits further tissue damage, while using cold water can cause frostbite on injured skin.

In the Kigoogwa incident, Alenyo recommended covering victims with a clean cloth after water treatment to prevent infections and manage shock. He warned against using alternative remedies such as cooking oil, which can clog skin pores, or sugar, which can dangerously dehydrate the body.

“I have also heard of people applying women’s vaginal fluids to burns, but this is extremely harmful,” said Alenyo, emphasizing that such practices can lead to infections that are resistant to treatment.

Alenyo also offered guidance on determining burn severity.

“Deep burns often turn the skin white or pink, while black or grayish skin may indicate inadequate blood flow and signs of tissue death,” he said.

From a safety perspective, Daniel Mushabe, managing director of Mount Meru Petroleum (U) Ltd, highlighted the fact that oil is highly flammable and the dangers associated with fuel leaks.

“According to the viral video, this accident was inevitable. Even a single spark from a phone call could ignite spilled fuel. That’s why we insist on turning off phones at gas stations, but many people do not take this into consideration,” he said.

Mushabe advised bystanders to stay as far away from fuel spills as possible and advised motorists to maintain a safe distance from accident scenes involving fuel trucks.

“When a fuel truck rolls over, even with a small leak, there is a 90 percent chance of an explosion,” he warned.

Calling on fuel truck drivers to get enough rest on long journeys and to ensure that their vehicles are well-maintained, Mushabe stated that the Kigoogwa incident could be even more catastrophic if it involved a larger tanker carrying more than 40,000 liters of fuel.