Peacekeepers from the Senegalese Contingent of the United Nations Operation in Côte d’Ivoire (UNOCI) based in Yamoussoukro, on Sunday, 4 April 2016, supported the 5th Company of Military Firefighters to put out a fire which broke out at 6a.m in the Félix Houphouët Boigny National Polytechnic Institute in Yamoussoukro.

Thanks to the prompt action of the two forces, the fire was quickly brought under control and the damage done was limited.

Speaking after the incident, one witness, Brou Yao, said that it was fortunate that UNOCI peacekeepers were on hand to provide water to the firefighters. « If it was not for the assistance provided by UNOCI, the damage done by the fire would have been much more serious. The tank of the fire engine was not very big so the Senegalese peacekeepers had to keep on supplying the firefighters with water. It was this help that they were able to put out the fire,” he said.

« Thankfully nobody died in the fire », said the Commander of the 5th Company of Military Firefighters, Captain Yapi Kassember.