Traders at Juba’s custom market blame the fire brigade for their late arrival.

Traders at Juba’s custom market criticize the fire department for being late to the site.

“The fire department arrived and halted near the police station. The fire erupted many times here, and every time we phoned the fire department, they were always late. We could have preserved a lot of stuff if they had arrived sooner.” a trader narrated his ordeal in a report seen by NCMP.

Traders at Juba’s Custom Market are estimating damages in the millions of South Sudanese Pounds after a fire destroyed 62 stores yesterday evening.

The fire is said to have started at 6:00 p.m. yesterday and lasted around 3 hours.

According to the Chamber of Commerce’s Chairperson, the fire started in a perfume store and spread throughout the whole block of the market.

Martin Juma, on the other hand, claims that the cause of the inferno has yet to be determined.

“We heard that the fire broke out in the perfume store, but we didn’t know what the owner was doing in his business, so we may examine him, but he is still a fugitive,” Marten Juma stated in an Eye Radio report viewed by NCMP.

Mr. Juma is now pleading with both the state and federal governments to assist those impacted.

“We have around 62 stores that have been torched and 108 establishments that have suffered minor damage.” The loss will cost more than a hundred million dollars. I am pleading with the government to assist the merchants in this scenario.”

Some of the shopkeepers said the situation was disastrous for their companies.

“This fire started yesterday in that store, it was a tiny flame, there were two guys bringing two jerrycans of water attempting to put the fire out, but the moment the spraying water on the fire and this generated a large fire in the premises,” said Wani, a trader.

“I sell clothes and shoes, and the money is a lot of money.” “I’m not sure whether the government can raise anything that will allow me to continue my life and my children because I don’t know what to do right now,” Mode says. Julius said.

“Only God knows what is going to happen to me as a result of this fire.” I operate a sewing business, and after I completed my Christmas orders, everything was destroyed. “Right now, I don’t even have a pound to buy food for my children,” Mariam Shaban explained.

“I’m not sure where to begin or how to conclude.” I’m asking the government for assistance and support because we’re at the end of our rope at this point.”

This is not the first time a custom market has burned down, with multiple stores destroyed.

In 2015, a fire blasted through Custom Market, destroying at least 15 businesses.

A fire outbreak at the same market also burned down several stores in 2019, with merchants estimating a loss of hundreds of millions of South Sudanese pounds.