Fire Razes Hundreds Of Homes In Rivers

Hundreds have been rendered homeless after an inferno swept through an overcrowded settlement in Port Harcourt, Rivers state.

The incident which occurred on Sunday at the Elechi waterside in the state capital is said to have been caused by an electrical spark from one of the makeshift buildings in the slum, before spreading to other structures; most of which are made of woods.

This is the fourth fire outbreak to be reported in the state capital in one week.

The first incident occurred on November 20, when fire gutted the abandoned premises of an energy services company on Isiokpo Street in the D-line area of Port Harcourt, destroying the company’s generating set, diesel tanker, part of its warehouse, and nearby businesses.

Less than 24 hours after the D-line incident, another fire outbreak was recorded in the Rumuokoro Area of Obo/Akpor metropolis, near Port Harcourt.
Again, properties were destroyed.

On November 22, a more dangerous fire gutted the Bonny/Bille/Nembe jetty in Port Harcourt, destroying goods worth millions of naira and killing at least four persons, according to preliminary report by the Police.

All three previous incidents were said to have been caused by illegally refined petroleum products which is referred to in the state as “Kpo fire fuel”.

The Rivers State Government says while it is investigating the cause of all the incidents, it will seize any property or land upon which an illegally refined petroleum product is found to have sparked a fire outbreak.

Illegal means of refining petroleum products has been on the rise in Rivers State in recent years.

It has also been identified as one of the major causes of soot emission in the state, further proving to be a health risk to residents.
-Channels TV