The occupants of Lower Erejuwa Road across from Ope Junction, Warri, Delta State, are lamenting their loss as a fire that erupted in two buildings at midnight on Friday consumed the contents and properties worth millions of naira. The residents who were affected were irked over the alleged failure of the Delta State Fire Service to quench the fire despite being in close vicinity.
The fire, according to eyewitnesses, started around 1 a.m. after three days of power blackout when the Benin Electricity Distribution Company (BEDC) returned electricity. A former coach of the late NNPC Football Club, who is now a landlord, Chief Paul Obire, said the fire started in one of the compounds and rapidly spread before the rescuers arrived.
The fire department came quite fast but informed him that their vehicle was not carrying water. They never returned,” Obire begrudged. He also blamed the inefficiency of the firefighting service to send for reinforcement from other nearby stations such as SPDC, NPA, and NNPC, which had previously been done in situations of crisis.”.
Obire was also incensed by the actions of the vandals who pilfered goods and property from the victims during and after the fire, describing it as a sad reflection of worsening hunger and poverty in the country.
Further, the Chairman, Lower Erejuwa Road Motor Spare Parts Traders Association II, Charles Okorie, bemoaned the condition of firefighting infrastructure within Warri, approximating over N300 million worth of lost goods to traders. He appealed to the Delta State government, Warri South Local Government Council, and good-spirited citizens to assist the victims.
One of the owners of the destroyed shops, Elder Daniel Okeke, alleged that the fire consumed his entire business. “Hoodlums even carted away my burnt and unburnt goods before I arrived,” he lamented. Mrs. Tega Isaac, another resident of the area, wept while recounting how her family lost their home. “We were unable to salvage anything. Governor Oborevwori should please help us,” she pleaded.
Witnessing the incident, Delta State Fire Station head in Warri, M.K. Igbinoba, confirmed that their fire-fighting truck broke down due to equipment malfunction, forcing them to abandon the scene. “I have called a mechanic to repair the fault and reported the fault to our headquarters in Asaba,” he said.
Delta State Peace Building and Advisory Council Chief Ambassador Michael Ezeh coordinated a visit to the site with a delegation to assess it. Ezeh described the destruction as massive and assured the victims their case would be communicated to Governor Sheriff Oborevwori. “The governor feels for them. I believe he will help them,” he said.
He was accompanied by committee member Francis Onuora, who urged residents to take safety precautions and make sure their electrical appliances are switched off when not being used.
The same road witnessed a similar incident of fire in 2019, where former Governor Ifeanyi Okowa gave relief assistance of N20 million to victims.
