Another fire outbreak occurs at Nembe /Bonny /Bille jetty, 24 hours after two others (Video)

Another fire outbreak has occurred in Rivers State barely 24 hours after two fire incidents occured in other parts of the State. This time, the raging fire engulfed the Nembe /Bonny /Bille jetty in Port Harcourt city Local Government Area. Africa Update gathered that the infernos were reportedly caused by illegally refined petroleum products.

Eye witnesses account disclosed that the fire outbreak at Nembe /Bonny /Bille Jetty started inside a wooden passenger boat that was loading  passengers, goods and petroleum products.About six market boats with passengers were affected by the fire. It is however unclear if there are fatalities and the number of persons who sustained injuries, as at the time of this report.

You will recall that goods and properties worth millions of naira were destroyed during the fire outbreak at D-line axis of Port Harcourt  and Rumuokoro, in Obio/ Akpo Local Government Areas. This trend has become a source of concern to residents of the State, as the level of black soot seen in the environment has suddenly increased.

Meanwhile, the State Government has opened investigations  into likely serial fire outbreaks after two incidents destroyed substantial properties in Port Harcourt metropolis within 24 hours.

Saturday’s fire had razed substantial properties, including a Church and parts of the centre of the National Institute of Information Technology (NIIT) in Isiokpo Street, D-Line, while residents in Rumuagolu axis  of the Port Harcourt metropolis raised alarm Sunday afternoon on another destructive fire.

In his reaction, the state Commissioner of Energy and Natural Resources, Peter Meede after inspecting the level of damages, said Sunday that the reports of investigations into both incidents would unravel the actual causes.

Medee said: “There is the likelihood that it is petroleum products that are causing the fire. We cannot come to that conclusion now until there is a full-scale investigation. The report of the investigation will reveal the cause of fire as well as the remedy to it.

“If you watch, where the dealers of these products (black market fuel peddlers) keep them are places that are hidden. Like the fire incident that occurred in D-Line on Saturday night, that was a company premises; although the company is not in operation.

“Because the company is not in operation, it is absolutely difficult for somebody to know that the kind of activity that is going on there. That is why we are calling on law-abiding citizens to be very vigilant in their neighbourhood. See what they can do, watch what is happening in their neighbourhood and report to government.

“The Rivers State government has been able to set up two dedicated telephone lines for people to report unwholesome practices in the state. We have warned severally that when you see and you don’t report, when it happens, it is your own property that would be destroyed, it is your own life that will be lost.”

Watch video of the inferno at Nembe jetty: https://www.youtube.com/embed/lYQDn4enekU
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lYQDn4enekU