HAKIM KANYERE
Vendors in Amber-court Market in Jinja Municipality are counting losses after an early morning fire gutted their market. It is estimated that merchandise worth millions of shillings could have been lost in the inferno that started at 5.15am.
This is the second time in less than five months that this market is facing a similar fire.
Some of the vendors broke down as they watched their merchandise perish in the fire.
"What am I going to do? That was the business which was sustaining my family," cried one of the vendors.
The fire razed down several wooden structures which act as retail shops and stores for the merchandise of the vendors.
Fire fighters from CPS Jinja managed to contain the fire before it could spread to the entire market.
While there is no official report on the cause of the fire, eye-witnesses suspect that it was caused by a short circuit.
This is one of the numerous fires that have gutted markets in Jinja in the recent past.
Other markets that have been gutted by fore before are: Napier, Karibu-Karibu, Loko and Masese landing site.