Map of Northern Bahr el Ghazal State. (Courtesy).

Northern Bahr el Ghaza government has reported two separate fire incidents on Saturday and Sunday in Aweil town which left a man dead, two hospitalized and dozens of houses razed to the ground.

NBGs Director of Civil Defense Col. William Chol said the first incident was of a house that caught fire in the middle of the night at Long-Wurkech Payam on February 1, killing a 38-year-old man and leaving two others with severe burns.

“There were some three men who stayed in a room. After going to sleep during the night at 11 or 12 o’clock, the fire was blown from where it was by wind to spread to the grass thatch,” he said.

“The fire burned their house at night while they were sleeping and one died. The same time and two others got burn injuries. that was on 1^st of this month.”

Chol reported that the second incident took place on Sunday, February 2, consuming 31 houses in Aweil Town, and killing a pet with no human casualty reported.

According to him, Sunday’s inferno started from a kitchen left unattended by a woman cooking inside a thatched hut. This led to the fire that burned down a number of properties.

He said a committee has been formed to investigate the damages caused by the fire while appealing for assistance to the people who lost their properties.

Chol further said they are concerned over the rampant occurrence of fire incidents and encouraged good building habit to protect homes from fire outbreaks.

“It happened last year in Maper that fire destroyed some shops and houses. Also, in Machar Kunyuk in December, destroyed 30 plus houses, and destroyed properties of civilians,” he narrated.

“We do make some awareness to the people that  when they build, they should make good foundation with raised wall of at least one meter before placing grasses to control the fire. That is our advice to them.”