Fire outbreak in Aweil consumes more than 100 shops

By Ambrose Achuil Garang

A fire outbreak at Gok Machar Market in Aweil North County in Northern Bahr el Ghazal state has burnt to the ground over 100 shops, Kur Atak, the chairperson of the traders’ union in the main market said.

At least six traders have been admitted in hospital after sustaining injuries in the Tuesday fire outbreak, Atak told Juba Echo in an interview.

Also, at least 1,000 sacks of sorghum, 700 sacks of groundnuts, around 300 sacks of Sim Sim and other food items were consumed, he said.

“It’s half of the market that has been affected, we have not yet been able to speak to other traders to tell us more of what they lost because some have been hospitalized and others are still suffering from the shock,” Atak said.

Traders who were affected by the fire told Juba Echo it has left them “hopeless.”

Some of the traders that lost their shops and goods to the fire outbreak have stressed their hopelessness caused by the fire outbreak.

“The fire incident has made us hopeless, because it was huge and we have lost almost everything,” Deng Kuol, who lost his shop told Juba Echo.

“It will not be easy for us to get on track again,” he said.

Another trader, Aguer Deng urged the government to help reconstruct their shops.

“Our government should help us to encourage us set up our businesses again,” Deng said.

“Even if the support is little, it will encourage us to do our work again otherwise our situation is very harsh now,” he said.