Goods and property worth millions of naira were destroyed following a fire outbreak in a compound at Okwele/Lumumber Street Mile 2 Diobu in Port Harcourt.
The incident which occurred on Friday completely razed the building, leaving the affected wailing.
Though the cause of the inferno has yet to be ascertained, it was gathered that the fire may have been caused by a cooking gas leak in one of the apartments.
A resident of the area identified as Ifeanyi told Sunday PUNCH that at about 4pm on Friday, they were awoken by screaming from occupants of the compound.
Ifeanyi added that before residents mobilised to the building, the fire had spread to over eight apartments and the roof of the building, saying there was little the neighbours could do to put out the fire.
He stated, “The occupants had to save their lives first by running out of the building. The fire was so intense that the occupants of the compound could only remove very little valuables.
“People who own shops in front of the building also suffered a great loss because they had closed for business at the time of the incident.”
Ifeanyi, further said policemen and members of a vigilante group were on the ground to prevent hoodlums from stealing or looting items some of the occupants managed to salvage from their houses.
Our reporter who visited the scene of the incident on Saturday observed that the building contains 12 big stores, and 10 rooms and the store owners deal in foodstuff, clothes, drinks, and provisions, among others.
The spokesperson of the state Police Command, Grace Iringe-Koko, said she would find out and give our correspondent feedback. However, she had yet to do so as of the time of filing this report.