A boat fire in Bor. (Photo: Courtesy)

At least 18 people have sustained serious injuries after attempting to recover items from a burning boat loaded with fuel and other goods, destined for Renk County in Upper Nile State, police said.

Acting Jonglei Police Commissioner Maj. Gen. Elia Costa narrated that the vessel docked along the river bank north Bor where it was awaiting repair on an engine failure before departure on Sunday.

General Costa said the boat carrying 600 barrels of fuel then caught fire, prompting local residents to jump inside in order to rescue some items for themselves.

“The boat coming from Juba and going to Renk was carrying about 600 barrel of fuel, and on the way, the engine of Boat stack so they stop at the river bank to maintain their engine,” he said.

“So during that time, the fire erupted and there was nobody there, and when fire started, the residents of that area came and stormed the boat to take the goods which is there plus fuel.”

“When they were taking the goods, the fire expand again so that it burn about 18 people that are the citzen of that area of Makuc payam, nobody died they brought them now to Bor hospital.”

However, Costa said the fire engulfed them, burning the 18 individuals, who are currently being treated at Bor Civil Hospital.

Boat fires are commonly reported along the Nile River.

In June 2023, a similar boat fire occurred at Total Port in Bor where four people were critically injured after a boat carrying UN relief food caught fire at Total Port in Bor Town on Saturday.

The police commissioner said the boat loaded with 4,140 bags of sorghum and barrels of fuel was supposedly bound for Malakal of Upper Nile State when it erupted in flames, gutting all the consignment.

Two days later, another boat carrying World Food Program (WFP) relief food caught fire at Leudier Port in Bor town as a man lit charcoal in an attempt to cook inside the vessel.

In 2021, a boat carrying fuel and other goods to Malakal in Upper Nile State caught fire and exploded at the Juba Port near Gaabat. There were no causalities reported.