A fire engine in Juba | File photo

An official with the fire brigade unit in Northern Bahr el Ghazal says the department has no fire-fighting equipment in the whole state.

This revelation comes after a 22-year-old man died in a fire incident in Aweil town on Sunday.

The victim died at a shisha place where he was reportedly sleeping.

According to the acting director of the fire brigade unit there, they were not able to respond effectively because they lack a fire engine, hose reel systems, and gas system.

James Nyang Anei stated that the unit exists in the state only by name.

“We have nothing. Our officers are helpless, and we have reported this to Juba, but we don’t know who should bring the fire truck to the state,” Nyang stated.

Anei is appealing to the national government to purchase fire-fighting equipment for the states.

According to the 2011 constitution, as amended, the Fire Brigade Service is tasked with preventing and protecting the people of South Sudan and their property from fire and disasters.