A devastating fire has destroyed more than 40 makeshift homes on Onukwuru Street, off Rumuolumeni Road in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, leaving dozens of families displaced and their belongings reduced to ashes.
The fire, which broke out on Tuesday, spread rapidly through the densely packed settlement, consuming the fragile structures and destroying properties estimated to be worth millions of naira.
Residents said they struggled to contain the flames but were overwhelmed as the fire moved quickly from one structure to another.
One of the victims, Goodnews Imoh, blamed the incident on alleged negligence, claiming the fire started while a woman was frying groundnuts with a firewood stove.
According to him, another resident warned against pouring kerosene from a jerrycan near the open flame, but the warning was ignored, leading to the fire outbreak.
Imoh said he managed to save only his wife and children, losing nearly everything else, including important documents.
“Everything don vanish. I no fit rescue anything but my wife and children. I loss everything, including my certificates, but we thank God for life, ” he said.
With many families now without shelter, Imoh appealed to the Rivers State Government and members of the public to support those affected.
Residents also claimed that the woman allegedly linked to the incident was taken away from the area by relatives shortly after the fire started.
Despite the scale of the destruction, no deaths had been recorded at the time of reporting. However, several families were left stranded after losing their homes, valuables and means of livelihood.
Emergency agencies had yet to release an official statement confirming the cause of the fire or outlining relief measures for the victims.
