An 80-year-old woman has died after being trapped in a bush fire in Maracha district on Tuesday afternoon. Irita Candiru, a resident of Pajuru village, met her death as she tried to put out a fire that was accidentally set by a 9-year-old boy only identified as Alifi.
Sam Bosco Andiandu, a brother to the deceased said that Candiru had sent the boy to collect some leaves in the neighbour’s bush to prepare her traditional chicken soup. However, the boy returned home shortly to pick fire to destroy wasps which he discovered on the leaves before getting them.
The boy was however stung several times by wasps before he could destroy them, prompting him to accidentally throw down the fire that ignited the uncontrolled wildfire. Andiandu says that Irita tried to climb an anti-hill but she suffocated due to the heavy smoke and eventually got burnt.
Pajuru village chairperson Zakayo Olema says that Candiru died while attempting to stop the fire that was burning uncontrollably. He further cautioned the local residents to desist from setting bushes on fire especially during the current dry season to avoid such unfortunate incidents from happening.
“Candiru tried to stop the fire from destroying other people’s houses and crops but unfortunately died in the process. Some boys tried to rescue her but she had burnt beyond recognition”, Olema noted.
Bush burning is a widespread practice in the West Nile sub-region especially during the dry season between January and March as locals go hunting for wild animals. Bush fires have caused severe environmental degradation and affected the livelihoods of communities in the sub-region.
The vice is rampant in the districts of Yumbe, Madi Okollo, Maracha, Nebbi Zombo Koboko, Moyo, Obongi and Adjumani.
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