A woman in Rubkona County, Unity State, has been hospitalized after entering a hazardous oil-waste disposal site containing contaminated waste and other dangerous materials.
The woman, whose identity has not been revealed, was found inside the site among garbage and hazardous oil waste, according to Unity State’s Information Minister, Nyakenya Yohannes.
The incident occurred at an oil-waste disposal site in the state, where authorities said contaminated oil waste and other hazardous materials are stored.
Nyakenya stated that the woman did not accidentally fall into the site but appeared to have entered it herself.
“It is true that she entered the site, although she did not fall into it. She entered it herself. Some people said she slipped into the oil waste pool,” Nyakenya said.
He noted that the woman was found with several pieces of garbage and strings tied around her hands and legs when she was rescued.
Nyakenya said authorities suspect the woman may be experiencing mental health challenges, although she stressed that this has not been independently established.
“I think this is an individual who may have a mental health issue because, when she was brought out, she had tied a lot of things around her hands and legs, including a lot of garbage,” she said.
The woman was rescued and taken to a nearby health facility for treatment.
“She is currently in a hospital in Unity State, and she will probably be transferred to a hospital in Bentiu. We are coordinating that now,” she stressed.
The information minister further stressed the woman remains in critical condition but is alive.
“I cannot say that she is in good condition, but of course, she is still alive,” she added.
Authorities are now coordinating her possible transfer to a hospital in Bentiu for further medical attention.
The incident has also drawn attention to the dangers posed by oil-waste disposal sites in Unity State, particularly because they contain contaminated waste and hazardous materials that can pose risks to nearby communities.