By Onome Oghenetega
At least six persons have been hospitalised following the fire incident which rendered about 35 families homeless at the Opi end of Ugboroke community in Uvwie Local Government Area of Delta State.
The victims, mostly petty traders, have appealed to the Delta Stat Governor, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa to come to their assistance by resettling them back to life after the lost all their belongings to the inferno.
WARRI TODAY learnt that the fire broke out following an electric spark in one of the apartments in the area.
Most of the occupants were said to have gone to church when the incident occurred at about 12noon on Sunday.
Our correspondent who visited the scene of the incident on Monday gathered that the injured persons sustained different degrees of injuries including burnt wounds in various parts of their bodies.
Among the injured persons are; Obukevwo Elohor, Amos Obukevwo, Victor Obukevwo, Rita Warri, Ama Warri and one Victoria.
They claimed that property worth millions of naira and including personal belongings of the various families were completely destroyed in the incident.
One of the victims, Madam Victoria Boyi pleaded with the state governor, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa, to have mercy on them and assist them with relief materials.
She lamented that all their life savings including their children’s certificates were razed during the inferno
Boyi said, “I have been managing with my children in this one room before this fire came to double our pains. All our savings and my little markets are all gone. Not even a shirt or plate we could save from the fire outbreak. We lost everything. As I speak to you, I have no money to eat or feed my children.
“I am appealing to Governor Okowa to mercy us and come to our aid. I am in serious pains. We sleep outside yesterday (Sunday) because we have nowhere to go. I am a widow. I don’t know where to start. Governor Okowa, please in the spirit of your victory, help us.”
Meanwhile, the Uviwe Local Government Area Chairman, Mr Ransom Onoyake has confirmed the incident. He expressed rude shock at the level of damaged the incident caused.
Onoyake, promised to visit the scene of the incident, said preliminary report available to him indicated that the lost was colossal.
He appealed to the victims to remain while he notifies the state government of the incident.
