Curious area residents throng the scene on Monday, 16 Nov 2020 | Credit | Peter Machok Monykuer Lal

At least three people have sustained minor injuries after plastic bottles filled with petrol and diesel exploded at Referendum market in Juba on Monday evening.

According to eyewitnesses, the incident was caused by a man smoking a cigarette at a boda-boda stage where fuel dealers usually sell petrol in plastics bottles.

The smoker is said to have dropped the cigarette bud near some bottles, igniting the flame.

The bottle then flame-jetted as a result of combustion and landed on a food stall of a woman who was selling mandazis, bread and other items.

The fire destroyed the woman’s items.

The fuel seller and two rescuers sustained minor burns on their hands and legs.

Thousands of adults and children around the world have been burned or killed by exploding plastic fuel containers.

This is because such flames from plastic fuel containers can easily be ignited by a nearby open flame, cigarettes, sparks from appliance motors, or even static electricity.