Africa-Press – South-Sudan. JUBA — At least eight people, including a six-month-old child and a pregnant woman who subsequently miscarried, were injured in a fire at an army ammunition depot in Juba early on Sunday, army spokesperson Mag. Gen. Lul Ruai Koang said.
The fire, which erupted around 12:15 a.m., caused widespread panic across the capital, Juba.
The location of the incident, Qiada barrack, holds historical significance as the site of a December 2013 infighting that triggered South Sudan’s 2013-2018 civil war.
The cause of the fire is still unknown, but Koang said hot weather could be a potential factor.
“The primary suspect in this is the hot weather, which might have ignited the fire,” he said.
The army general said that the fire destroyed a significant amount of ammunition and military equipment.
“A lot of military equipment was damaged, a lot of shells were damaged, a lot of rounds, different types of missile systems were destroyed,” he said.
Ammunition depot fires have become increasingly common in South Sudan in recent years.
Last June, a similar incident at an SSPDF depot in Unity State injured at least 15 people, including five civilians.
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