Four children from the same family were killed when a fire engulfed their house in the central Uganda district of Wakiso on Thursday.

According to a police statement, the dead children were aged eight and below.

The children caught fire when their mother, Annet Naigaga, who deals in roasted maize and yellow bananas, went to fetch water 500 meters away.

“The children were left inside their old two-bedroom, semi-permanent house with their 12-year-old sister, Catherine Nakkasi who was preparing to go to school,’’ Luke Owoyesigyire, the deputy spokesperson for Kampala Metropolitan Area, said.

The police said when the mother returned from fetching water, she saw a lot of smoke coming out from her house.

“The four children were crying for help inside the house and the door was closed. She made an alarm and attempted to enter to rescue the children, but the fire was too much,’’ Mr Owoyesigyire added.

However, police suspect a burning candle in the house could have fallen on a motorcycle and ignited the fire.

“The four bodies have been conveyed to the city mortuary Mulago for postmortem,’’ police said. 

(Xinhua/NAN)