By Karim Were
Police are investigating a deadly house fire in Nansana West 1A, Wakiso District, after three people died and six others were injured in a blaze suspected to have been deliberately started.
Three people were killed and six others injured when a fire swept through a house in Nansana West 1A, Wakiso District, in the early hours of Monday, September 28, 2026, in an incident police suspect may have involved deliberate arson.
The dead were identified by police spokesperson Kituuma Rusoke as Bulali Isabirye, Annet Namulondo and Violet Nanyombi.
Six other occupants survived the fire but sustained injuries and were taken for medical attention, according to police.
Investigators are treating the circumstances surrounding the blaze as suspicious after preliminary findings raised questions about what happened inside and around the house shortly before the fire broke out.
Police have not yet established who started the fire, why it was started or whether the blaze was deliberately intended to harm the occupants.
Police suspect deliberate fire
Police spokesperson Kituuma Rusoke said investigators were examining several possible explanations, including whether one of the victims could have been involved in starting the fire.
He also said police were investigating reports that some occupants had been forced out of the house shortly before the blaze.
“There was violence involved,” Rusoke said, without providing further details about the alleged violence or identifying who may have been responsible.
The police statement underscores the preliminary nature of the investigation. While investigators suspect that the fire may have been deliberately started, no individual has been publicly identified as a suspect in connection with the deaths.
Police are therefore examining the available evidence before drawing conclusions about the sequence of events.
Written material found at scene
According to Rusoke, investigators found written material at the scene that raised suspicion that the fire may not have been accidental.
The contents and authorship of the material have not been publicly disclosed.
Police have also not established whether the documents were directly connected to the fire or whether they provide information about events leading up to it.
Investigators are expected to examine the material alongside other evidence from the scene as they attempt to establish what happened.
The discovery is one of the factors contributing to police suspicion of a deliberate fire, but it does not by itself establish who started the blaze or the motive behind it.
Bodies badly burnt
The intensity of the fire left the bodies of the three victims badly burnt, police said.
Because of the condition of the remains, identification and forensic examination were continuing at the time of the police statement.
Forensic investigations can play an important role in determining the identities of victims and establishing other circumstances surrounding a fatal fire.
Police have not released further details about the forensic process or indicated when the identities will be formally confirmed through forensic procedures.
The three names released by Rusoke remain the identities provided by police.
Investigators examining events before blaze
One of the central questions for investigators is what happened in the moments before the fire started.
Police are examining reports that some people were forced out of the house shortly before the blaze.
If confirmed, that information could help investigators establish whether there was a confrontation or other incident before the fire.
However, police have not yet publicly established who allegedly forced the occupants out, how many people were involved or why the occupants were allegedly removed from the house.
Those details remain subject to investigation.
Rusoke said police had not established what happened before the fire or who started it.
Six survivors injured
Six other occupants survived the fire but sustained injuries.
The available information does not specify the nature or severity of their injuries, nor does it identify the medical facilities where they were treated.
Their accounts could become important to the investigation if they are able to provide information about what occurred before the fire.
Investigators may also rely on evidence from neighbours, emergency responders and other people who may have witnessed events around the house.
At this stage, no witness account has been publicly provided that establishes how the fire began.
Motive remains unknown
Police have not established a motive for the suspected deliberate fire.
Determining motive is likely to form part of the broader investigation, particularly if evidence confirms that the blaze was intentionally started.
However, investigators must first establish the facts surrounding the fire before attributing a motive to any individual or group.
Police have not announced any arrests or charges arising from the incident in the information provided.
That means it would be premature to identify anyone as responsible for the deaths.
Importance of forensic investigation
Fatal house fires can present significant challenges for investigators because extreme heat can destroy physical evidence and make identification of victims more difficult.
In this case, police said the bodies were badly burnt, making forensic work particularly important.
Investigators will also need to establish the likely origin of the fire, determine how quickly it spread and examine whether there are signs consistent with an accidental or deliberate blaze.
Other evidence may include the condition of the building, burn patterns, electrical installations and any materials recovered from the scene.
However, none of these investigative findings has been publicly confirmed in this case beyond the information provided by police.
Public concern in Nansana
The incident is likely to raise concern among residents of Nansana and surrounding communities, particularly because police suspect the fire may have followed violence.
Nansana is part of Wakiso District and forms part of the wider metropolitan area surrounding Kampala.
The densely populated nature of many communities in the metropolitan area can make residential fires particularly dangerous because occupants may have limited time to escape and neighbouring structures can also be exposed.
However, no broader claim about fire safety conditions in the specific neighbourhood should be drawn from this incident alone.
The immediate focus remains the investigation into the deaths and injuries.
Police appeal for information
As investigations continue, information from residents and potential witnesses could assist authorities in establishing the sequence of events.
People who may have seen unusual activity around the house before the fire could provide investigators with information that helps reconstruct what happened.
Police have not publicly disclosed a specific appeal or hotline in the information available for this report, so readers should avoid relying on unverified contacts circulating on social media.
Any information about the incident should be provided through recognised law-enforcement channels.
Avoiding premature conclusions
The circumstances of the Nansana fire remain under investigation.
Police suspicion that the blaze was deliberate should not be treated as proof that arson occurred.
Similarly, the statement that violence was involved does not establish who was responsible for that violence or whether it directly caused the deaths.
The possibility that one of the victims may have started the fire is also an investigative line rather than an established fact.
These distinctions are important as investigators work to establish the sequence of events and determine whether criminal charges are warranted.
Broader implications
The deaths highlight the importance of prompt emergency response, effective fire investigation and accurate identification of victims following major residential fires.
For the families of the three people who died, the immediate priority is likely to be establishing the circumstances of their deaths and completing the identification and forensic processes.
For the six survivors, medical treatment and recovery will remain important while investigators seek their accounts where possible.
The case also illustrates the need for authorities to establish facts before conclusions are drawn in incidents involving suspected violence.
A thorough investigation could help determine whether the fire was accidental, deliberate or linked to another event, while also establishing whether anyone should face criminal responsibility.
Conclusion
Three people died and six others were injured after a fire swept through a house in Nansana West 1A, Wakiso District, early Monday.
Police spokesperson Kituuma Rusoke identified the deceased as Bulali Isabirye, Annet Namulondo and Violet Nanyombi and said investigators suspect the blaze may have been deliberately started.
Police are examining reports of violence before the fire, including claims that some occupants were forced out of the house. Investigators also found written material at the scene that heightened suspicions of a deliberate fire.
However, authorities have not established who started the blaze, what happened immediately before it or what motive may have been involved.
The bodies were badly burnt, and identification and forensic examinations were continuing.
As the investigation proceeds, the evidence gathered from the scene, survivors and other potential witnesses will be critical in determining what happened and whether anyone should be held criminally responsible.
For now, the deaths remain the subject of an active police investigation, and no individual should be presumed responsible until the facts are established through due process.
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