By Hou Akot Hou
A devastating fire has destroyed 88 shops in Wedwil refugee settlement, claiming the life of a Sudanese trader. The incident occurred late Friday night at around 11:40 PM, leaving both refugees and host community members counting heavy losses.
Police Inspector Philip Agany Deng of Aweil West County confirmed the tragedy, noting that the blaze erupted suddenly in the cluster of grass‑thatched kiosks where refugees and locals conduct small businesses.
“The incident happened on Friday night at 11:40, and the cause remains unknown. We rushed to the scene with the commissioner of Aweil West to investigate further, but what people are saying is bewildering,” Deng said.
The deceased, identified as Adam Musa, was trapped while attempting to rescue his belongings. “It is a fatal development. He was caught in the fire as he tried to save his property,” Deng lamented.
Authorities are probing the cause of the fire. Some witnesses allege that women preparing Dhalabia (fried loaves) may have accidentally sparked the blaze when cooking oil ignited nearby grass.
One woman at the scene expressed despair: “We lost everything. Our children depended on these shops for food and other needs.”
Both refugees and host community traders have urged authorities to conduct a thorough investigation and hold accountable those responsible for the destruction. They stressed that the fire has worsened the already fragile livelihoods of vulnerable families struggling under harsh conditions.
Some traders recalled earlier promises by United Nations agencies to construct iron‑sheet shops for them, a plan that never materialized. Others speculated that individuals previously caught posing as refugees to obtain aid might have played a role in the incident.
For now, the community awaits the outcome of investigations to uncover the truth behind the fire that has left dozens of families without livelihoods and deepened the hardship in Wedwil settlement.