Fire breaks out at Juba Commercial residential area

By Isaac Vuni

Februay 20, 2008 (JUBA) — Thirteen houses were burnt to ashes last night in the Juba Commercial residential area by unknown arson, leaving more than twenty families without food or shelter.

Some of the victims include John Wani has four houses, Ruben Kenyi has three houses, Emaleda David has two houses while Erkolano Jadahas, Lemi Dengu, Eliaba Jacob and Paul Gore each has one house.

The police said that a woman by the name of Sunday Gore has been arrested and charged under section 375 of Sudan penal court 2003 and that she will soon be arranged before the court.

According to the husband of the suspect, Paul Gore said that his wife attempted suicide by hanging herself with a curtain rope and when he confiscated the rope, she decided to set the house ablaze that spread to other houses as heavy wind were blowing.

The affected area is one of the congested areas in Juba where most of the displaced have taken refugee during the peak of the North-South civil war.

The Fire Bridgade Unit was unable to spare the houses because the officer on duty said there was no fuel in the vehicles. The impacted families appealed for emergency support from any well-wishers.

Officials at the Sudanese Red Crescent Society of Southern Sudan Office in Juba speaking to Sudan Tribune pledged to carry out an assessment tomorrow to figure out the exact assitance requirements.

(ST)