A fire ripped through part of Custom Market in Juba on Saturday and destroyed at least 15 shops, according to an eyewitness.
Some of the affected shops were also the residences of Ugandan traders who are now homeless. Police prevented media from speaking with victims and other bystanders at the scene.
However, at least one official at the scene was heard to have said that the cause of the blaze was electrical.
No fire brigade vehicles came to quell the blaze.