A devastating
fire broke out in Konyo-Konyo Market in Juba on Thursday afternoon, destroying
more than 30 shops and leaving business owners in shock.
The fire,
which started in a section of the market, spread quickly, destroying
merchandise worth thousands of dollars.
The fire
proved too intense to contain in time, despite the efforts of both market
vendors and firefighters.
“We were here
doing business. But before we saw the fire, some guys came shouting, ‘There is
fire, there is fire!’ So, we rushed to protect our goods,” Edmond, a trader,
told The Radio Community in an interview on Thursday.
“We started
removing our items, but the fire spread quickly. Before we could save anything,
it was already too late. Everything was gone completely.”
Among the
items lost in Edmond's shop were children's clothes and shoes, which he
estimates were worth over $50,000.
“These were
children’s clothes. Shoes. I can’t recognize many things. They all cost a lot
of money. More than $50,000 is all we have put here,” he said.
Joseph Lal,
another businessman, also witnessed the aggressive spread of fire.
“I saw the
smoke and people shouting, then I looked and saw the fire spreading fast. I
tried to collect some items, but the fire was so intense,” Lal shared.
“I started
removing money and small things, but most of my goods were food items, and they
are all gone. I lost almost 8 to 9 million South Sudanese pounds.”
Lal further
expressed his frustration, saying, “The police arrived after the fire had
reached our place, but by then, it was too late to save much.”
Yohanna
Bongo, a Kenyan national who operates a small business in the market, shared
his experience of trying to help extinguish the fire.
“I was
planning to go to Gumbo Market when I heard people screaming. I rushed over and
found the fire was starting nearby,” Bongo explained.
“I tried to
assist in putting it out, but the more we tried, the wilder it got. We
struggled to contain it, but it was uncontrollable.”
Bongo also
noted the delay in the arrival of firefighters.
“The
government was informed, and fire extinguishers eventually arrived, but by
then, the fire was already out of control,” he said.
“They did
their best, though. I think if they hadn't shown up, it would have been worse.”
Although
Bongo’s losses were relatively smaller compared to some of the other vendors,
the fire destroyed his stock of fresh produce, which included carrots, green
peppers, onions, and tomatoes.
“The total
value of my lost goods was just $150. I bring these items as a supplier, so it
wasn’t much, but it’s still a loss,” he explained.
In his
heartfelt message, President Salva Kiir encourages all those impacted by the
fire to remain strong during this difficult time.
President
Kiir directed the Juba City Council and relevant security agencies to assess
the extent of the damage and investigate the cause of the fire thoroughly.
The head of
state also instructed both the Central Equatoria State and City Council
authorities to prioritize the safety and security of the market, ensuring that
measures are put in place to prevent such incidents in the future.