A Juba resident captured ammunition depot fire at a distant on Sunday morning. (-)

A fire outbreak at an ammunition store in the Giada military barrack of Juba caused loud explosions, sending panic and wild rumours through the capital on Sunday.

Unspecified types of ammunition that exploded during the inferno ripped out the roofs and walls of the store, but official details about the extent of the damage are not yet available.

South Sudan People’s Defense Force Spokesperson Major General Lul Ruai Koang was contacted immediately after the incident, and he clarified that an ammunition depot just caught fire.

General Ruai called for calm amid reports that motorists and residents dashed about to escape from an incident that brought back the memories of South Sudan’s dark days.

Eye Radio conducted a midnight live broadcast of the situation to provide official updates and hear from residents in Khor Williang, Jebel and surrounding areas which are near the incident.

Taking to social media to recount the experience, he said the incident scared them to death.

“It was just an arsenal on flames (the ammunition depot), but it scared the hell out of us.

The skies over Gaida, Juba was lit, and we thought, ‘this is it’,” he said, poetically.

“We took plan A by cowering under our beds. But some went further to their plan B by taking refuge at the banks of the River Nile. The shrapnel down here almost got me. It fell in my compound.”

Aaron Akule was asleep inside Giada barrack when the blast occurred, and said he saw civilians started running about, although he knew that it was not fighting but rather a store that exploded.

“What happened is that Civilians started running, so when I heard the guns sound and saw the fire, I knew it was not fighting but a store that exploded,” he said.

“I told the civilians not to panic and run, it was just a store that exploded and after one hour it would stop. It was dangerous to people staying near there but we told them to calm down after an hour it will stop.”

Another witness said: “I am here in Lologo 2. From what we heard. It’s just that Giada store that burned but we are fine.”

Aleu Kuol also wrote on Facebook: “Somewhere near barrack about. it was terrible with heavy sound and fire. We were confused, about whether to run or stay. But we remained in our homes anyway. As we learned it is just an incident of fire.”