Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Residents residing within the 200-meter buffer zone all the map thru the decommissioned Kiteezi landfill are as soon as extra voicing deep area for their security following a fire outbreak on the placement on Tuesday night. Despite efforts by Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) and Uganda Police to extinguish the fireplace by 11 pm, residents dispute the jam stays annoying. Some account persevered smoke emissions, heightening fears of 1 other that potentialities are you’ll maybe well likely take into consideration eruption.
Attach councillor Betty Nanteza said, “Although the fireplace became salvage apart out, the smoke is restful there. Residents are scared due to the it feels savor this is in a position to maybe happen all over again.” Nanteza and a form of neighborhood members are calling on the authorities to behave with out observe to salvage to the backside of the prolonged-standing issues on the landfill, reasonably than permitting the topic to pull on. They emphasised that the safety of those residing shut to the placement must rob priority.
By Wednesday morning, police had been deployed to derive the salvage and restrict public salvage entry to to the landfill. Alternatively, some residents persevered to head to the placement—both scavenging for scraps or rearing animals—despite the dangers.
Luke Owoyesigyire, the Kampala Metropolitan Deputy Police Spokesperson, warned the final public to salvage a long way from the placement. “We promptly contained and extinguished the fireplace, and happily, there were no casualties,” said Owoyesigyire. “Alternatively, we continue to warn the final public to salvage up a long way from the landfill situation, because it stays potentially unsafe.”
KCCA spokesperson Daniel Nuwabine said investigations into the reason within the aid of the fireplace are restful ongoing. “We’ll release a account on the reason within the aid of final night’s incident, but our notion is to utterly decommission the landfill and repurpose the placement into something productive, savor an vitality plant,” he said.
Concerning compensation for affected residents, Nuwabine said the evaluation direction of is ongoing.The Kiteezi landfill has witnessed a series of mess ups this year, in conjunction with a lethal collapse in August 2024 that claimed over 35 lives, and a methane gas-brought about fireplace in February.
Investigations suggested a gas explosion would possibly maybe perchance find brought about the earlier collapse, with survivors reporting listening to explosions beforehand.
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