Eight casual labourers attached to the Iganga based Tembo Steel Mills are nursing serious they sustained following an explosion at the factory. 

Ibrahim Mwanja, Amina Nakagolo, Wilfred Onyango, Geoffrey Egesa, Isaac Kisira, Dennis Mweyongera, Koren Namukwaya and Zakayo Ivurabe sustained burns on their bodies after they dropped a round-shaped metallic block in the furnace, which splashed hot liquid onto their skins. They are currently admitted at Mercy health center where they were rushed for treatment.

“We were immersing different metal pieces into the furnace and all seemed well until our colleague dropped a round metallic ball, which exploded like a bomb,” Ibrahim Mwanja one of the victims said.

Nakagolo, another survivor said despite the fact that she is out of danger; she wants the factory management to offer them standard medical care.

“The hot liquid injured both my hands and it would be just fair if the factory offered us medical attention in a suitable government hospital with specialists to handle these burns,” she said.  

Samuel Kawuuta, the human resource officer Tembo Steel Mills confirmed the incident, said it resulted from unauthorized water flow in the furnace.  

“Water is an important component in the softening of these metals. Part of the water accidentally poured into the hot furnace, causing it to burst instantly,” he said.