Kampala — RESIDENTS of Arua municipality were left in shock after a fire gutted Dr. Hassan Nasur's home killing his wife, Yasmin and six-year-old daughter on Sunday.

Nasur's other child aged about two years was admitted at Kuluva Hospital in a critical condition.

Arua district Police chief Julius Salube said the 2:50am fire started from a candle that had been placed on a fridge. "When the candle burnt out, the fridge caught fire and it spread to other items in the sitting room like chairs," Salube said.

He disclosed that Dr. Nasur was not in the house at the time of the fire. Salube added that Nasur's wife, who was sleeping with the two children in the bedroom, was suffocated by the smoke.

The landlord, Jaffar Oyobo, said they tried to put out the fire, but it increased when fridge's gas cylinder burst.

"We forced our way in and found the wife and the two children unconscious. We evacuated them and rushed them to Kuluva Hospital," Oyobo said.

He added that Nasur's wife died about 30 minutes after she was admitted at the hospital, while the daughter died 30 minutes after the mother's death.

Nasur works with the Marie Stopes Clinic in Gulu. Before moving to Gulu, he served as the acting district director of health services for Yumbe. When he moved to Gulu, his family stayed in Club Cell, Oli Division in Arua municipality.

The deceased were laid to rest in Oli Division on Sunday.