A devastating inferno, which decimated a cluster of informal dwellings and threatened a neighbouring medical facility, was heroically contained on Friday, 6 March, following a three-hour battle by the Rivers State Fire Service.
The blaze reportedly commenced at approximately 4:30 pm within a makeshift structure at the ALCON area at Woji Community in Obio Akpo Local Government Area .. According to eyewitness accounts, the fire was ignited when children, who were cooking, allegedly left a gas cooker unattended. The flames spread with alarming speed through the high-density area, characterised by buildings constructed from highly combustible zinc and timber.
Before the arrival of professional firefighters, the “good samaritans” of the neighbourhood engaged in a frantic struggle to prevent the fire from leaping to permanent brick structures. While these residents successfully shielded one adjacent building, the intense heat took a severe toll on others:
Medical Facility: Patients were forced into an emergency evacuation as the heat became unbearable. The facility’s external water tanker, situated near the demarcating fence, was destroyed by the thermal impact.
Adjacent Property: A building on the opposite side of the fire’s origin suffered the total loss of its external split air-conditioning units, which melted under the fierce temperatures.
Total Loss: Occupants of the timber and zinc dwellings were unable to salvage any valuables, as their homes were completely razed within minutes.
The rescue operation faced significant hurdles. Fire engines were initially unable to access the narrow street due to the restricted road width, further exacerbated by residents who had parked vehicles on both sides in a desperate bid to save their property.
Despite these obstructions, the Rivers State Fire Service arrived at the “nick of time” just as the local volunteers were becoming overwhelmed by the scale of the conflagration.
The operation was personally overseen by Dr Sokari George, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Special Duties. Dr George coordinated the determined efforts of the firemen, ensuring that despite the logistical bottlenecks, water hoses were deployed effectively to quench the source of the heat.
The Fire Service has once again stressed the importance of keeping access roads clear for emergency vehicles and urged parents to ensure that minors are strictly supervised when using cooking gas.
