By Onome Oghenetega
Barely three months after fire razed a building in Warri, Delta State, another building on Thursday went inflame destroying property estimated to cost millions of naira.
The incident occurred at First Marine Gate, Marine Quarters, in Warri South Council Area of the state.
Although no casualty was recorded, all occupants of the one-storey building were rendered homeless by the raging inferno.
The fire residents claimed, started at about 4:08pm, as a result of refuse that was put on fire by a resident near a makeshift building which later extended and engulfed the storey building.
NIGER DELTA TODAY learnt that efforts by residents and sympathisers to put off the inferno were unsuccessful as the fire raged due to the harmattan season.
It was gathered that the men of the Delta State Fire Service who were contacted by residents claimed that the truck was faulty.
“A resident of the area set fire on a small refuse dump but didn’t closely kept eyes on it which somehow extended to a makeshift building behind the storey building and razed both buildings and occupants properties”, a resident who simply identified himself as Felix told our correspondent.
It was further learnt that some of the occupants of the building had not returned from the yuletide celebrations thereby making efforts to put off the fire difficult.
The Vice Chairman of Warri South LGA, Mrs Divine Iniovosa, who rushed to the scene of the incident at the instance of the council chairman, Dr. Michael Tidi, described the incident as unfortunate.
Iniovosa, who claimed to have equally contacted fire service in the area, said she was told that the firefighter truck was in bad state.
Her position, however, confirmed earlier claims by residents of also contacting the fire service in the area.
Below are pictures of the fire:
