Traffic along the busy Mityana–Mubende highway was temporarily disrupted on Thursday evening after a passenger bus belonging to Link Bus caught fire at Kikonge, causing panic among travelers and residents.
The bus, registration number UBF 966K, was reportedly travelling from Kampala heading to Fort Portal when the incident occurred.
Witnesses said the ill-fated bus first developed a mechanical problem involving one of its tyres before flames quickly spread through the bus.
According to residents who witnessed the incident, smoke was first seen coming from the wheel area moments before the fire intensified.
“We noticed smoke coming from one of the tyres as the bus moved at high speed. Shortly after, flames started spreading and people began shouting for passengers to get out,” eyewitness Peter Bogere said.
The situation caused fear among passengers and motorists using the highway, prompting nearby residents to rush to the scene to assist in rescuing passengers and removing some luggage from the burning vehicle.
“People from the community responded quickly to help passengers escape and save some luggage before the fire became uncontrollable,” another resident said.
Fortunately, no injuries or deaths were reported, as passengers managed to evacuate the bus in time.
Fire brigade officers later arrived at the scene and managed to contain the blaze, although the bus was extensively damaged.
The incident caused a temporary traffic jam along the highway as motorists slowed down and security officers worked to restore normal flow of traffic.
By press time, police had not yet issued an official statement on the cause of the fire or the extent of the damage.
Investigations are expected to establish the exact circumstances surrounding the incident.