A fire extensively damaged a residential unit 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 housing police officers and their families.
Uganda Police Fire and Rescue Services deployed firefighters to the scene. The teams contained the flames before they reached other parts of the building.
No injuries or deaths were reported.
“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,” a fire and rescue officer who participated in the operation said.
Authorities had not established the cause of the fire by press time.
Investigators are considering a possible electrical fault or human negligence. However, officials had not confirmed either possibility.
The fire officer said the design of the older police housing blocks helped prevent the flames from spreading further.
According to the officer, the buildings contain materials that resist fire more effectively than those used in many modern structures.
The incident adds to several fires reported at police facilities in recent years.
In 2023, a fire at Ntinda Police Barracks destroyed several Traffic Police exhibits. The damaged property included uniforms, motor vehicles, motorcycle number plates and national identity cards.
Another fire earlier this year destroyed exhibits at Kyebando Police Post along the Northern Bypass.
Police urged to attend fire safety training
Following the Nsambya incident, the officer called on police personnel and the public to take fire prevention measures more seriously.
He encouraged residents to acquire basic firefighting skills and participate 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.
The officer also raised concern about changes made to some government-built police housing units.
He said some officers use wooden boards to divide their flats and create additional rooms. Such partitions can increase fire risks and allow flames to spread quickly.
Residential buildings account for largest share of fires
The Uganda Police Annual Crime and Fire Report 2025 shows that Fire and Rescue Services responded to 1,847 fire incidents across the country.
Residential buildings accounted for 42 per cent of the reported fires.
The report identified electrical faults and human negligence as the leading causes of fire outbreaks in Uganda.
Investigations into the Nsambya Police Barracks fire remain ongoing.
