Fires cause infrastructure and equipment damage in Beni and Lambaréné

Two separate fires have caused significant property and infrastructure damage in Beni and Lambaréné.

In Beni, an accidental fire broke out in the Biatu neighborhood during the night of September 16-17. The blaze destroyed electronic equipment, including a radio transmitter and computers, and heavily damaged the building housing Radio Télévision Amani Kivu (RTKA). The Congolese National Police and MONUSCO's anti-fire unit responded to the scene. Preliminary findings suggest the fire originated in an electronic repair workshop. No human casualties were reported.

In Lambaréné, a fire destroyed a wooden bridge providing access to the GSEZ Ikolo special industrial zone and surrounding plantations during the night of September 14-15. The destruction has isolated the industrial zone, cutting off workers and planters from their primary access point and leaving equipment stranded. Local reports suggest the fire may have started in nearby brush, possibly triggered by a resident, though this is unconfirmed.