Fire Razes 25 Buildings in Rivers Community

Blessing Ibunge in Port Harcourt

Hundreds of persons have been rendered homeless over the fire incidents that razed down about 25 buildings at Mgbere and Ohionu clans in Ibaa community, Emohua Local Government Area of Rivers State.

THISDAY gathered that at about 2 a.m. yesterday, a truck loaded with adulterated oil products exploded in Mgbere clan in Ibaa, and burnt down over 15 residential buildings, including 80 shops.

A community source, who gave his name only as Esitem, revealed to THISDAY that his younger sister, who is married in Mgbere clan was affected by the fire incident. He disclosed that his sister and her family lost all their belongings in the fire.

The source further stated that no life was lost in the incident and revealed that while the victims of the fire were lamenting over the damage caused by the fire, illegal refining activities was still going on in the area.

He said: “There was a truck that came to carry illegal refined products (Kpofire) at Ibaa and the products in the vehicle caught fire and exploded in Mgbere village at about 2 a.m.

“When the vehicle caught fire all the buildings around that place were burnt down. More than 80 shops and 15 buildings were razed down. My younger sister that married in that community was badly affected as they didn’t remove any properties from the building but no life was lost.”

Esitem regretted that every effort by the state government to stop the oil bunkering business was futile in the area.

He stressed “As I am talking to you, they are still doing the business. They are offloading product.

“The governor said they should stop the bunkering activities but they refused. This illicit activity is heavily practiced in Ibaa, Elele and Rumuekpe. The business is still going on.”

In another development, about 10 buildings and properties worth millions of Naira were destroyed in a fire incident that occurred at Ohionu clan in Ibaa in the early hours of Monday.

A source from the area who pleaded anonymity disclosed that a tanker suspected to be carrying illegal refined products collided with a building at Ohionu village and caused the level of damages.

The source revealed that no life was lost in the incident.

According to the source, “when the tanker collided with the building there was a fire which razed down over 10 houses and destroyed properties worth millions of naira. It took the intervention of the youths to put off the fire that lasted for over six hours.

“Hundreds of persons have been displaced as a result of the incident.

“What made the fire to be severe was because some of the affected buildings have suspected illegal refined products stored around the vicinity. But no life actually lost.

“There is suspected illegal refinery dump in the community and the tanker may have loaded from one of the illegal refinery site.”

Efforts to get the Local Government Council Chairman, Dr. Chidi Lloyd, to react on the incident proved abortive, as calls and text massages to him were not responded as at press time.