SOUTH SUDAN: Fire At Ministry Of Lands Under Control, No Injuries Reported

By Debora Akur Chol, South Sudan 

A fire broke out on Wednesday morning, at the Juba office of Michael Chiangjiek Gaey, the National Minister for Land, Housing, and Urban Development, resulting in significant damage to the premises, but thankfully causing no injuries.

An official from the Ministry confirmed that the blaze was ignited by an electrical fault in the office of the Minister’s executive secretary, which was the only area affected by the fire.

Rapid response from firefighters from the South Sudan Civil Defence Service helped to contain the flames and prevent further damage to the building.

Potur Magok Jok, the Executive Secretary to the Minister, recounted the incident, indicating that the fire erupted around 9:30 a.m. shortly after he turned on the air conditioning units upon arriving.

“As soon as the electricity was restored, I powered on the air conditioners. Shortly thereafter, one of the units burst into flames, so I immediately informed the Minister about the situation,” Magok said.

He detailed the extent of the damage, noting that the fire destroyed the air conditioning unit, damaged furniture, and resulted in the collapse of part of the ceiling.

He highlighted that fortunately, the Minister’s office itself remained unscathed; however, some items were damaged due to the water used to extinguish the fire.

Magok expressed concerns regarding the response time of the firefighters, stating that they arrived later than expected and the initial equipment they employed was inadequate.

In an effort to control the situation, firefighters disconnected the electricity supply at the suspected origin of the fire.