Two children aged one and a half and four years old have died following a house fire in Ariath Payam of Northern Bahr el Ghazal’s Aweil North County on Tuesday afternoon, officials confirmed.
A 12-year-old girl, identified as their sister was also injured in the fire and taken to Aweil Civil Hospital in critical condition.
Ariath Payam Administrator, Rech Malong told Radio Tamazuj that the incident took place in the Riang Ajuwak residential area in Ariath town. He said the children’s mother had gone to a nearby market when the tragic accident happened.
“The fire erupted in the Riang Ajuwak residential area in Ariath town where a mother left her children sleeping at a shelter and went to a nearby market and the fire broke out, killing two small siblings,” he said.
According to an eyewitness who preferred anonymity, the children tried to prepare a meal for themselves when the fire erupted.
Another resident, Garang Akoon, said: “Two children died and their sister was taken to Aweil Civil Hospital in critical condition. No one knows how the fire started because their sister was the one who ran first to rescue them. But she was attacked by the flames.”