At least one residential unit was extensively damaged after fire broke out at the family quarters of Nsambya Police Barracks in Kampala on Sunday night.The blaze started at about 9:45 pm on the first floor of a three-storey block of police officers’ flats. Firefighters from the Uganda Police Fire and Rescue Services responded and contained the flames before they spread to the rest of the building.A fire and rescue officer who participated in the operation said no injuries or fatalities were recorded.“We received the alert and our teams responded quickly. They managed to contain the fire before it spread to the rest of the building. However, most of the furniture and other household property in the affected flat was burnt to ashes,” the officer said.The cause of the fire had not been established by press time and investigations are ongoing. Preliminary findings, however, point to a possible electrical fault or human negligence, both of which remain among the leading causes of fire outbreaks in Uganda.The officer attributed the successful containment of the blaze in part to the design of the older police housing blocks, saying they were constructed using more fire-resistant materials than many modern buildings.The incident adds to a series of fires that have affected police facilities in recent years.In 2023, a fire at Ntinda Police Barracks destroyed several Traffic Police exhibits, including uniforms, motor vehicles, motorcycle number plates and national identity cards. Earlier this year, another fire destroyed exhibits at Kyebando Police Post along the Northern Bypass.Following the latest incident, the officer urged both police personnel and the public to take fire prevention more seriously by acquiring basic firefighting skills and participating in community fire safety programmes.“Anyone can own a fire extinguisher. People should work with us and attend our community outreaches to learn how to prevent fire outbreaks. The police headquarters often directs officers to attend these trainings, but many do not turn up,” he said.He also expressed concern over alterations made to government-built police housing, noting that some officers partition their flats with wooden boards to create additional rooms, a practice he said significantly increases the risk of fire and allows flames to spread more rapidly.According to the Uganda Police Annual Crime and Fire Report 2025, the Fire and Rescue Services responded to 1,847 fire incidents across the country. Residential buildings accounted for 42 per cent of all reported fires, with electrical faults and human negligence identified as the leading causes.The post Fire guts Nsambya Police Barracks housing unit appeared first on The Observer Media Ltd.