Two Ethiopian nationals are dead after an extensive fire destroyed a section of Marol Market in the Jonglei state capital, Bor on Saturday.
Ayuen Kur, Deputy Secretary-General of the State Chamber of Commerce, told Radio Tamazuj Sunday morning that the fire shocked the business community.
“Seven shops, mainly restaurants, were destroyed in the fire to ashes. Sadly, a man and his child were burnt to death while her wife was hospitalized. The man died while trying to rescue his child after having escaped the fire initially,” Ayuen explained. “The cause of the fire on Saturday at 2 a.m. was that someone left their beans boiling in a shop so that they get it ready in the morning.”
The business official expressed sympathy with the deceased’s family, saying the fire was heartbreaking.
Maj. Gen. Elia Costa Faustino, the state police commissioner, said the incident was being investigated.
“What happened on Saturday at 2 am is that six shops were burnt to ashes by a fire which started from a shop where somebody left their beans boiling. Two Ethiopian nationals were burnt to death, and a woman was injured. As the police, the incident is being investigated,” he said.
John Bior, a resident of Bor town, called on the state government intervention to stop the fire outbreak in Bor markets. “This is the second time fire destroyed shops in Marol market because someone leaves beans boiling in a shop while they are at their homes. Local government should devise measures to regulate this because we are sadly losing lives,” Bior said.