By Hou Akot Hou
A two-year-old girl has died after sustaining severe burn injuries when a fire broke out in her family’s grass-thatched hut in Kuajok Town, Warrap State, while her older sibling was attempting to burn hairy caterpillars that had been troubling residents in the area.
Officials from the Department of Civil Defense, formerly known as the Fire Brigade, under the Directorate of Safety and Disaster Management, confirmed that the tragic incident occurred on Saturday in Manyang Kuel village.
Speaking to reporters, fire safety officer Mayom Dut Deng said the fire started after a five-year-old child attempted to use fire to kill caterpillars inside the family’s tukul while their mother was away at the market.
According to Deng, the flames quickly spread through the grass-thatched structure, trapping the two-year-old girl inside.
“The mother of the children was out of the house when the five-year-old child, together with other siblings, attempted to use fire to kill the caterpillar. Unfortunately, the fire broke out and caught the grass-thatched tukul, leading to the burning of the two-year-old child inside the house,” Deng explained.
The toddler died from the injuries sustained in the fire, while two other children who were injured during the incident are currently receiving treatment at Kuajok Hospital.
Deng expressed condolences to the bereaved family and urged parents and guardians to exercise caution when leaving young children unattended at home.
“We understand the difficult economic conditions many families are facing, forcing parents to leave home in search of livelihoods. This death is very unfortunate, and we pray for the recovery of those injured in the fire,” he said.
The incident comes amid a widespread outbreak of hairy caterpillars affecting communities across Warrap State and neighbouring Northern Bahr el Ghazal State.
Authorities have described the infestation as a growing public concern and are urging residents to remain vigilant while efforts continue to identify lasting solutions to the pest problem.
Officials have advised parents and guardians to closely monitor children and elderly family members to prevent further accidents linked to attempts to destroy the caterpillars.