Fire destroys 10 homes in Aweil

AWEIL – A fire destroyed 10 homes on Tuesday morning in the Ayuang residential area of Northern Bahr el Ghazal State’s capital Aweil town, according to residents.

The blaze occurred near the Norwegian Rescue Committee’s compound, witnesses said.

“It is shocking to lose the properties which include mattresses, a Premio vehicle and money as it was so abrupt and no one could afford to save a lot of things,” Garang Dut, an Ayuang resident, told Sudans Post.

Dut said firefighters arrived at the scene to contain the blaze, which he attributed to negligence among residents.

“People forget that fire has become a curse in Aweil as it happens every year…so they leave the fire unattended to, especially to the little children who don’t know the consequences caused by it,” he said.

The Civil Defense department has repeatedly urged the public to avoid using makeshift shelters and thatched roofs, which are highly susceptible to fire, especially during the dry season.

They have encouraged residents to use brick for construction and grass for roofing, despite the challenges.

Authorities are still assessing the extent of the losses, and the director of civil defense could not be reached for comment.

Last month, residents of Medira 1 in Aweil Town suffered significant losses in a fire, which authorities also blamed on carelessness.

Similar fire incidents have become frequent in Aweil Town and across the state. Last year, numerous properties were destroyed in fires in Maper-Akot-Aru, Udhum, Aroyo, and Peth Lou, among other areas.