Dozens of passengers travelling between Kalangala Island and Masaka on Thursday escaped unhurt after a vehicle aboard the MV Pearl ferry caught fire shortly before the vessel docked at Bukakata on the Masaka mainland.
The ferry, operated by Kalangala Infrastructure Services Limited, was sailing towards the Bukakata landing site when one of the vehicles on board caught fire, triggering panic among passengers. The blaze was quickly brought under control by the ferry crew with the assistance of Uganda Police personnel, preventing any casualties.
Michael Duncan Ensinikweri, the Officer in Charge of Traffic in Kalangala District, said preliminary findings indicate that the fire was caused by overheated batteries in one of the vehicles being transported to Masaka. He said the ferry was only a few metres from the docking pier when the incident occurred, allowing the crew and police officers to respond promptly and extinguish the fire.
Ensinikweri described the incident as minor, saying it demonstrated the preparedness of the ferry crew and security personnel to respond to emergencies.
“This was a minor incident that does not need to be blown out of proportion. It has just proved the ferry team’s readiness. We just need to use it for our security evaluation. Let no alarm be caused. The ferry transport system remains safe, and security management remains up to the task,” he said.
Ensinikweri declined to provide details about the extent of damage to the affected vehicle, saying police would issue a comprehensive report after completing their inspection.
The ferry operator, Kalangala Infrastructure Services Limited, had not issued a formal statement on the incident by Thursday evening. However, the company’s Public Relations Officer, Joseph Mulindwa, said ferry operations had continued uninterrupted following the incident-URN. Give us feedback on this story through our email: kamwokyatimes@gmail.com
