By Hou Akot Hou
A 16-year-old boy at Aroyo in Aweil Center County in Northern Bhar el Ghazal State set a neighbour’s house on fire.
In an interview with this outlet, Mr. Duang Duang Ayii, chief inspector of civil defense in Aweil Center County, expressed that the incident occurred on Thursday.
He revealed that family members in one of the houses in the area left the minors alone at home however one of the kids exploited the situation and set the neighbour’s house on fire.
“We have an incident of a boy called Kuek Korok Lual, aged 16; he allegedly set the house of the neighbour on fire, and the fire destroyed everything, including two utensils, 2 wheelbarrows, and the sacks of sorghum and groundnuts,” he revealed.
Ayii stated that the authorities are investigating the incident in order to ensure that someone is brought to book to account for the losses and damages incurred.
He blamed such incidents on the lack of fire extinguishers combined with insufficient training, which they have not received so far, to help arrest such incidents of fire, which normally occur during the dry season.
“The issue of lack of fire extinguishers (equipment) is the problem. Some people don’t see this as a great role they can join; some say it is not work but is a job that requires people to be trained,” he said.
Last week a similar conflagration incident, which left the young businessman in destitution at Gak-rol payam in Aweil South County, is being investigated as well.
Gak-rol, the local trader’s association chairperson, said they were working to help the young retailer regain strength, as he lost everything in the incident.
Chairperson of the trader’s association at Gak-rol, Deng Yai Yai, said they were doing all they could to collect some money and give it to the loser (victim).
“We have counted the losses, and everything is gone. It is unfathomable. 3 million and sacks of sorghum, flour, and groundnuts are all gone, and as of now we don’t know what to do for our brother who lost everything in the fire incident,” he said.
Officials have been urging the local residents in and around Northern Bahr El Gazal to always clear their homestead or house of the vegetation as the dry season approaches.