By Ijoo Bosco
A 20-year-old Torit based Boda-boda rider and his 70-year-old grandmother are nursing wounds at Torit Civil hospital after wildfire torched their motorbike.
The cyclist, Junior Muzungu and his grandmother were caught up in a blaze of wildfire while on their way to a garden.
According to authorities, the incident happened on Thursday morning as the rider took his brothers to the gardens and later came back to take the grandmother.
The second trip turned tragic incident when wildfire engulfed them on the road.
Mr. Kennedy Khemish, assistant director for safety in Civil defense department in Eastern Equatoria state, said the incident happened at around 9;00am.
“The boy was attempting to cross the burning fire along the road in Kalia Cultivation area in Torit suburb,” Khemis said.
Khamish advised Boda-Boda riders within the state to follow rules and regulation about usage and management of petrol and avoid unnecessary crossing when there is fire along the road.
“There will be a time we are going to call them in our office and train them because they are riding and they don’t know that the fuel is dangerous” Khemish explained.
Meanwhile, Mustafa Lokuru, the medical Director at Torit Civil attributes the cause of the incident to the petrol which got burst due to the nearby fire along the road.
“They were moving using motor bikes and I think people nowadays used to burn the grasses along the road side. So, I think the petrol have catches the fire and it burnt them badly” Lokuru said.
He said the situation of both the boy and the grandmother is well maintained by the medical personnel compared to when they were brought on Thursday.
“Their situation is now abit fair and stable. so, my advice to people moving with Petrol should have a protective measure because its serious and the petrol burst and this all because of that so their condition is okay and they were now well cared” Lokuru added.