RUMUOLA, Rivers State (BN24)— Tragedy struck the Rumuola axis of Obio/Akpor local government area on Sunday night as a fire tore through makeshift buildings, killing two young siblings and leaving more than 27 families homeless. The victims, aged nine and five, were burnt beyond recognition in the inferno that destroyed properties worth millions of naira.
Eyewitnesses said the fire began around 10 p.m. in one of the rooms of a makeshift structure where a mother had temporarily locked her four children before leaving to buy ingredients for cooking. Two of the children were asleep, while the older siblings remained awake when the blaze started.
Contrary to viral social media claims, which suggested the fire occurred inside the Captain Elechi Amadi Polytechnic in Rumuola, witnesses confirmed the fire originated in makeshift homes located behind the school. The structures, described as poorly constructed and densely occupied, were destroyed, leaving many families homeless.
“It is a makeshift building behind the school. It is a gory site. I am standing beside two children who have lost their lives in this fire. Their bodies have been covered,” one eyewitness said, expressing grief over the loss.
Another witness, who gave his name only as Meg, provided additional details. “The fire started in the room of the woman who lost her two children. She was cooking at around 10 p.m. and had locked the door before going out to buy some items. When she returned, the fire had spread rapidly. The older children tried to save their younger siblings but were forced to escape because of the intense heat. Unfortunately, the younger ones could not be rescued.”
Eyewitnesses described harrowing scenes of the elder children banging on doors and screaming for help before eventually finding a way to escape, while their younger siblings, aged six and eight, were trapped inside and burnt beyond recognition.
Neighbors and passers-by said they alerted the fire service after seeing thick black smoke rising into the night sky. Firefighters arrived, though reportedly delayed, and succeeded in extinguishing the flames, preventing the blaze from spreading further.
The spokesperson for the Rivers State Police Command, SP Grace Iringe-Koko, confirmed the fire outbreak and the deaths of the children. “From the situation report I received, the children were aged nine and five years. We have started an investigation to ascertain the cause of the fire. The woman, the mother of the children, has been invited for questioning as part of our investigation,” she said.
The disaster has rendered dozens of families homeless, with many losing their possessions, furniture, and household items in the fire. Local authorities have appealed to the public for support to assist the displaced families and urged residents of informal settlements to exercise caution, particularly around open flames and cooking equipment.
Residents expressed outrage at the vulnerability of families living in makeshift buildings. One neighbor lamented, “These structures are crowded and unsafe. We need government intervention to prevent further tragedies like this.”
The incident has sparked renewed calls for improved fire safety measures and emergency response preparedness in informal settlements across Rivers State. Investigators are working to determine whether negligence, faulty cooking equipment, or other factors led to the deadly blaze.
