Port Harcourt shops, properties damaged by fire

Abdullateef Fowewe

A fire that ignited early Friday at 57 Azikiwe Street, Mile 2 Diobu, Port Harcourt, has caused damage to goods and properties valued in the millions of naira.

The fire started around 3 a.m. in a heavily populated area of Rivers State.

By 8 a.m., the blaze was still raging, affecting numerous rooms and storefronts within a large compound. Although a team from the state fire service was on-site to tackle the flames, some parts of the structure were challenging to reach.

The fire is said to have destroyed seven large shops and eight rooms, including a liquor warehouse where over 50 crates of beer were lost.

With the compound consisting of a total of 35 rooms divided into two sections, there was a threat of further damage until additional fire trucks and personnel arrived to assist.

After a four-hour effort, the fire was eventually brought under control, though smoke was still visible in parts of the building.

At the time of filing this report, the cause of the blaze has not yet been determined.