Malualchat military barrack fire. (-).

Jonglei State police has confirmed that an explosion at Malual-Chat military barracks on Wednesday resulted in the death of a 14-year-old girl and left two others wounded. The incident has been attributed to a heatwave.

The state police commissioner, Maj. Gen. John Baak, confirmed that the ammunition store caught fire causing deafening explosions killing the minor identified as Adhieu Mabior and creating panic among residents.

Gen. Baak said the two wounded children are currently being treated at Bor Civil Hospital. He added that the blast had destroyed two houses owned by army commanders.

“As you know, the incident occurred in the barrack of the army in Malual-chat. The issue of the incident is the explosion of the shields which are stored in their store,” Baak said.

“This was caused by heat or something. But the incident I think has gone without many casualties but we have lost one girl of 14-year-old called Adhieu Mabior, and the two children who are now in Bor Hospital.”

Gen. Baak attributed the cause of the incident to the heatwave.

According to Bol Deng Bol, Executive Director of Intrepid South Sudan, the armory explosions had the entire population of Bor town in panic.

“People on motorbikes and other means of transport were all about everywhere as if the town was invaded. Innocent folks almost abandoned their homes,” Deng said in a social media statement.

This is the third time that ammunitions have gone up in flames in less than one year. A similar explosion occurred at the same Malual-Chat barrack on March 9, 2024.

Army spokesperson Maj. Gen. Lul Ruai said the giant Nile monitor lizard probably caused the explosion. He said there were no damages as well as casualties.

Meanwhile, in February 2024, eight people were injured and a pregnant woman miscarried in a midnight fire outbreak that gutted an ammunition store at Giada military barrack in Juba.

Gen. Lul also blamed the incident on the heatwave. He raised a concern about the location of the barrack in a densely populated area, reaffirming a previous call by Defense Minister General Chol Thon on state governors to allocate lands for the army outside major towns.

He further called on the civilians living near the barracks to reconsider living close to the military facility.