DRC Security agencies are investigating a suspicious fire that suddenly incinerated 40 houses at Kibati military barracks in Lubumbashi (Haut-Katanga).
According to General Smith Gihanga, of the 22nd military region of the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of Congo (FARDC), the fire broke out inside the barracks located in the Industrial district in the commune of Kampemba not far from the Carrefour roundabout, in Lubumbashi (Haut-Katanga), on Friday night until Saturday, July 02, 2022.
He attribute the fire to an electrical short circuit.
“Kibati is not just the weapons depot. It is also where the Women’s Battalion lives. Electricity had been gone all day and returned around 11:30 p.m. This is how there was a bad current and short circuit. Unfortunately, a soldier’s wife with her 3 children were burned to death in one of their huts. Around 40 families have lost their homes,” he said.
However, Gen. Gihanga insisted that the weapons depot inside the barracks was not affected by this fire.
“The weapons depot is intact. There were no bullets during the night. I came over there myself and spoke with the governor. We are seeing how to help these families with tarpaulins and basic necessities. It is an accident due to the bad current,” he concluded.
According to local media reports this is the second fire in the space of three days in the city of Lubumbashi. Last Thursday night, the Kamalondo market also caught fire.
