A fire broke out at Mount Meru Millers (U) Ltd in Lira City on Wednesday afternoon, damaging refinery pipes, tubes and part of the roof housing the refinery plant.
The fire started at about 3:00pm on October 21, 2026, at the company’s premises in Lira Industrial Area, Railways Quarter A Cell, Railways Ward, Lira City East Division, according to a statement issued by North Kyoga Regional Police.
Preliminary findings indicate that the fire may have started after a gasket burst while one of the refinery machines was operating. The high temperatures reportedly ignited insulation wool covering the steam pipes, allowing the fire to spread to pipes connecting to the refinery boiler.
However, police said the exact cause of the fire had not yet been established, adding that investigations into the incident were ongoing.
Firefighting teams from the Uganda Police Force, MMP Group from Nile Agro and Mount Meru Millers responded to the scene and worked together to extinguish the blaze. The fire was brought under control at about 4:40pm.
Police personnel, together with members of the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF), also responded to provide security, while Scene of Crime Officers documented the scene.
According to the police statement, the fire damaged the refinery tubes and pipes, the roof of the structure housing the plant and the insulation wool wrapped around the pipes.
No information on possible injuries or the financial value of the damage was provided in the statement.
North Kyoga Regional Police spokesperson SP Patrick Jimmy Okema commended MMP Group from Nile Agro and the Mount Meru Millers fire team for their continued support in responding to fire incidents in and around Lira City.
Okema said investigations into the circumstances surrounding the outbreak were continuing. At the time the statement was issued, the case had not yet been formally registered.