Fire left 10 000 homeless
2005-01-07 13:41
Lagos - A fire which broke out in the early hours of Thursday gutted dozens of homes and businesses in the Nigerian oil city of Port Harcourt, apparently causing no casualties but leaving about 10 000 people homeless, a police spokesperson said on Friday.
Ireju Barasua of Rivers State police said: "The fire started around 3.00 on Thursday at the Mile Two, Diobu area of the city. Dozens of houses and shops were burned
"I think some 10 000 people must have lost their homes in the inferno. Dozens of vehicles and properties valued at millions of naira were also destroyed.
"The fire could have been caused by an electrical fault in one of the affected buildings. We are suspecting an electrical fault, worsened of course by the hamantan haze."
Oil companies assists
Barasua said no-one was injured in the inferno.
She said: "We are pleased to announce that there were no casualties, except that valuable properties were destroyed. Fire fighters battled for several hours before they could extinguish the blaze.
"We contacted some oil companies, including Agip, which assisted in no small measure to put out the fire."
Port Harcourt is at the heart of Nigeria's multi-billion-dollar oil industry. Many oil companies and oil service firms have their offices and workshop there.
On December 25, at least three people were killed when a sprawling market in the Nigerian city of Onitsha caught fire.
- SAPA