Fire believed to have been set by unknown person has consumed a house to ashes in Ilangi residential area of Torit on Sunday at eight PM.
Jackino Lohonga Joseph, the owner says he locked the room without a candle or fire inside when he left to care for the sick niece admitted at Torit State Hospital, Radio Emmanuel reports.
He laments that his clothes including 1300 SSP got burnt in the house.
Eyewitness, Victorio Okeny, says fire started burning from inside the room until the smoke was rising with the flame and the door was locked, making it difficult to rescue anything from the house.
Dominic Ben Loyara, a Chief in Ilangi, says cases related to fire have become frequent in the area.
He complains that unknown criminals set fire to people’s houses and that the government is still investigating.
Chief Ben says every time a house starts burning, the Fire Brigade Services could not respond faster even if they receive information.
He tells the public to make proper use of candles in order to avoid such incidences.
Responding to slow response, Nelson Khamisiya, Deputy Director for Fire Safety Precaution and Disaster Management in Imotong State, says his office lacks equipment that would ease work.
Khamis acknowledges that fire incidence has become out of control.
He reveals that over 1800 cases have been reported in his office since 2016
The official advises the public to know how to manage fire in their homes.