A fire outbreak destroyed property worth millions of naira at a mini estate on Otiotio Road in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State capital.
It was gathered that the fire incident which occurred on Friday emanated from the fuel stored in the estate by black marketers due to fuel scarcity as a result of flood that cut off access roads to the state for weeks.
It was learnt that a resident suffered burns but no life was lost.
According Daily Trust, eyewitnesses and victims said the disaster might have been caused by a certain Nigerien who allegedly stocked black market fuel in one of the apartments where he resides.
One of the victims who identified herself as Mercy Clifford from Angiama community in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of the state, recounted that she heard a sound like an explosion from the apartment of her neighbour who was cooking with a stove. She said the fire escalated and razed over 10 makeshift houses.
She said: “All my property, my secondary, primary school and church certificates, everything is gone. One of our neighbours was cooking with a stove and fire came from the stove and entered everywhere.”
She appealed to the government and well-meaning individuals to come to their aid, explaining that some of the victims, including her were flood victims who live in the estate to seek temporary refuge.
Another resident of the area, Hamza Abdullahi, narrated that he lost his money and other valuables to the incident.
Similarly, a victim, simply identified as Kingsley from Edo state, said the fire had dealt him a very big blow after havoc wreaked by flood.
Also, a courier agent, Allex Ada, said he left home as early as 7am only to be called on the phone that his apartmen was on fire, lamenting that he returned to see the debris of his property.
The state police spokesman, SP Asinim Butswat, when contacted said that the incident was not reported to the police, Daily Trust reports.
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