One dead as earlier morning inferno razes buildings in Delta community
By Chancel Sunday
An early morning inferno has razed five buildings at Bomadi-Overside, the business hub of Bomadi Local Government Area of Delta State, claiming one life and destroying property worth millions of naira.
The incident, which took place on the former Our Saviour’s Hospital Street, occurred between 4:25 am and 5 am, devastating the livelihoods of traders at the popular Bomadi-Overside market, a gathering point for traders from various riverine communities and upland buyers and suppliers of commodities.
The deceased, identified as J.T. Christopher, died in the inferno and whose body was burnt beyond recognition.
A survivor, Mrs. Esther Thomas, who recounted the incident to Vanguard, stated that the inferno began shortly after 4 a.m. on Saturday (today), emphasising that the distressing noise from her neighbours roused her from sleep.
She said: “It was shortly after 4 a.m. today when I was awakened by my Hausa neighbours who were making some unusual noise, so I went out to see what was happening. Upon stepping outside, I saw their foam ablaze and they were in a frenzy. Then I exclaimed, ‘There is a fire in the building, and you are not shouting to alert the neighbourhood.
“I immediately went inside my room and managed to bring out some of my clothes. By the time I realised, the fire was already in my room, spreading like wildfire.”
“I ran to my sister’s room in the same neighbourhood, and by the time I got there, the fire was already there. We had to abandon our property and flee for our lives.
“As I’m speaking, I’m preparing to bury my late mother when this incident is happening now. I don’t know where to start from.”
A neighbour, Mr. Kurō-asain Tamaraukuro, mentioned that he and some other neighbours had attempted to extinguish the fire but were unable to do so due to the intensity of the blaze.
“The incident occurred around 5 a.m. this morning. I rushed out of my house to witness the fire, and the young people in the neighbourhood tried to extinguish it by fetching water from the river. The fire’s strength was overwhelming, and we couldn’t put it out. It consumed an entire 12-room apartment and other surrounding buildings.”
“Our neighbours have lost all their livelihoods, and I wish to use this medium to appeal to our governor, Sheriff Oborevwori, and the chairman of Bomadi Local Government Council, Hon. Dagidi Andaye, to come to the aid of our neighbours. I urge Mr. Chairman to also visit the scene of the incident,” he said.
Mr. Doutimiariye Ndakwe, a former vice chairman of the Perefōū quarters of the community, also appealed to government agencies tasked with emergency response to assist the victims.
“I wish to appeal to the relevant government authorities and the chairman of Bomadi Local Council to address the emergency needs of the victims,” he stated.
Similarly, an elderly neighbour, who identified herself as Ma Stella Tonkiye and who spoke in her native Ijaw dialect, made a passionate appeal to Gov Oborevwori and Hon. Andaye. She called on the duo to help both the survivors and the family of the deceased, emphasising that all their possessions were burnt in the inferno.
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