Tragedy struck a Rivers State community late Sunday night as a fire swept through a cluster of makeshift buildings at Rumuola in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area, leaving two children dead and at least 27 families homeless.
The inferno reportedly began around 10 p.m. in one of the rooms where a mother, who has requested anonymity, had been cooking. According to residents, she left the room to buy cooking ingredients and locked the door, leaving her four children inside. Two of the children were asleep at the time, while the older ones were awake. The fire spread quickly through the wooden structures, and despite efforts by the older children to rescue their siblings, the two younger children, aged five and nine, were burned to death.
A resident, Edidiong, described the scene as “heartbreaking,” adding that the flames consumed the makeshift estate rapidly. “The fire started from the woman who lost her two children. She was cooking around 10 p.m., and the stove was still on. She locked the door to go and buy some ingredients. When she came back, the buildings were already engulfed. The older children tried to save their younger siblings but ran out because of the heat. That was how the two younger children were burnt to death,” he said.
The destroyed structures were part of a cluster of makeshift homes located behind the Captain Elechi Amadi Polytechnic in Port Harcourt. These homes, mostly made of wood and other flammable materials, housed dozens of residents, many of whom are low-income families. The fire left families without shelter and destroyed personal belongings, creating urgent humanitarian needs in the area.
The Public Relations Officer of the Rivers State Police Command, Grace Iringe-Koko, confirmed the incident and the deaths of the two children. “From the situation report I received, the children were aged nine and five years. We have started investigation to ascertain the cause of the fire. The mother has been invited for questioning as part of our investigation,” she said.
Fire outbreaks in informal settlements are not uncommon in Port Harcourt and other parts of Rivers State due to the flammable nature of building materials, overcrowding, and limited access to firefighting equipment. Experts warn that lack of public awareness about fire safety and unsafe cooking practices often worsen the impact of such incidents.
In recent years, Rivers State has witnessed multiple fire incidents affecting densely populated communities, leading to the loss of lives and destruction of property. In many cases, residents live in close proximity, making it easy for fires to spread rapidly once they start.
The displaced families in Rumuola now face the challenge of finding temporary shelter, food, and other basic necessities. Social welfare agencies, community leaders, and local volunteers have been called upon to provide assistance.
Local authorities have promised to intensify awareness campaigns on fire safety and explore measures to improve firefighting response in densely populated areas. Community leaders are also appealing to the government and non-governmental organizations to provide relief materials and temporary housing for the affected families.
As investigations continue, the incident serves as a stark reminder of the dangers of flammable building materials, unattended cooking appliances, and the vulnerability of children in emergency situations. Experts say that educating families about basic fire safety, ensuring proper spacing between buildings and installing fire extinguishers could help reduce the risk of such tragedies in the future.
