Famlies of soldiers at an army barracks on the outskirts of Banjul have been evacuated to a hostel following a weekend inferno which destroyed an entire block of homes inside the miitary compound, APA can report on Monday.
There were no reports suggesting human casualties from the blaze.
The army facility located opposite Gambia’s main Mile Two Central Prisons began life as a hotel before it was transformed into a military barracks at the behest of then President Yahya Jammeh.
The Gambia Armed Forces in a statement said the fire incident engulfed a section of the Hamza Barracks at around 5pm on Saturday, destroying ”an entire block housing military personnel and their families”.
Pictures emerging from the fire show charred remains of household belongings and personal keepsakes.
Those affected have been removed to the Friendship Hostel a, the Independence Stadium’s main accomodation facility in the town of Bakau, where they are temporarily being rehabilitated.
Defense minister, Serign Modou Njie and the chief of defense staff Gen Mamat O Cham joined other key figures at the barracks to assess the extent of the damage.