Fire engulfed the Eastern Equatoria State secretariat buildings, burning crucial government records. |File Photo.

An investigation into the fire outbreak that destroyed secretariat buildings in Eastern Equatoria State last week, has revealed that the incident was due to human negligence.

The governor, Louis Lobong Lojore said police investigation concluded that the fire was caused by overheated solar power batteries.

Last week, the state secretariat building, hosting several offices including that of Lobong went up in flames in the morning hours.

Aliandro Lotok, the press secretary in the office of the governor told Eye Radio, the fire gutted vital historical documents and rooftops.

Meanwhile, Governor Lobong has revealed that the destructive fire was due to poor installation of the solar power.

“After the office caught fire, the police started investigating the staff of the secretariats, and this week all the units brought their reports, and in brief, the reports states that the cause of the fire is a solar panel battery that busted,” said the governor.

The incident occurred as the secretariat staff were cleaning up the offices, but no casualties have been reported.

“The batteries were put in a very small office together with the files, so the files caught fire and that’s the result of the burning and people were not there to quickly quench the fire.”

The governor dismissed notions that the error was a sabotage, adding that no one is liable to accountability.

The State Secretariat, situated in the heart of Torit town, has several offices including that of the governor and his deputy as well as the offices of the Ministers of Cabinet Affairs and Gender, and of the state secretary general.

It is now abandoned pending a renovation plan that is mired with uncertainty resulting from lack of funding.

Earlier, Lobong made a public appeal to the state citizens, well-wishers and humanitarian organizations to contribute an estimated 2 million dollars for the renovation of the secretariats.

Asked to give updates on the mobilization of renovation fund, he said his office has not yet received any money yet.

Lobong told Eye Radio Friday morning, he is operating from the state house, while some of his officials are sharing offices. He also alleged that some are operating under trees.

“We are facing a lot of challenges as I have stated in my statement. and nobody is now operating in that office because it needs renovation. and therefore the whole secretariat and the people working in it, their work is paralyzed,

“Ans for me, I am working from the state house which is not very conducive for all the visitors. Some of us are even operating under-trees and others have started sharing offices,” he said.