Mbiama Fire Disaster: Death Toll Rises To Five

The death toll arising from last Friday morning fire which occurred close to Mbiama Number two Motor Park about 50 metres away from Yenagoa Junction has increased from two to five.

Community sources told The Tide that three other persons, two hawkers and a driver, who was sleeping in his car, died in a private clinic where they were rushed for medications.

Two persons including a 60-year female hotelier died on the spot when the incident occurred.

On the fateful day, a tanker coming from Warri, with Registration Number XS 942 KJA and conveying about 45,000 metric tons of fuel had, while negotiating a bad spot fallen and spilled its content into a local restaurant, where the 60-year-old woman was preparing foods for her customers, and caught fire.

The fire quickly spread to other buildings where about 15 other persons sustained various degrees of injuries.

However, the fire which started at about 7.30am was finally put off around 11.15am by personnel of the Rivers and Bayelsa States Fire Service, but not before 30 houses and 15 vehicles had been burnt.

It was learnt that the tanker driver and his conductor took to their heels immediately the incident happened as they feared mob actions.

The incident which compounded the usual hold up at Mbiama, a border town between Rivers and Bayelsa States, also brought all business and social activities within the period to a standstill as people trudged out to check whether their relations were involved.

Chairman of the park, Brown Egbo, and owners of some of the buildings that were destroyed lamented the setback the fire incident had caused.

Egbo said the tanker driver lost control owing to the narrow road, adding that his attempt to dodge the bad spots made him to skid off target.

Another victim who gave his name as Emmanuel, said he has lost all his belongings, and blamed his misfortunes on the bad condition of the East-West Road. He contradicted the opinion of the Assistant Corps Commander of the Federal Road Safety Commission, Ahoada Local Government, Rivers State, Mr Theophilus Egwim who blamed the accident on recklessness and obstruction on the part of motorists.

Egwim who confirmed the casualty figures said those who sustained injuries have been rushed to various hospitals which he declined to mention.

The chairman of Ahoada West Local Government Council, Mr Awori Miller who was visibly disturbed by the incident blamed the incident on bad road, and called on the Federal Government to expedite actions on the East-West Road to avoid losing more lives which have become a regular occurrence, as a result of such accidents.

Meanwhile, another fire razed about 300 houses in Ijawkiri, Nembe Local Government Area of Bayelsa State, last Friday.

Ijawkiri is one of the host communities of the disputed Soku Gas Plant in Oluasiri kingdom.

A security source said some unidentified persons overran the community on a speedboat and set the neighbourhood ablaze.

According to him, some persons arrived on a speedboat when people were sleeping and set the community ablaze. After completing their mission, they took off.

Chairman of Oil and Gas in Nembe, Chief Nengi James, confirmed that over 300 persons were displaced by the fire.

“Their major occupation is fishing. The fire destroyed properties worth millions of naira. There is confusion in the community. We don’t know who set the community on fire because the incident happened suddenly,” he said.

L-R: Former Anambra State Governor, Chief Chukwuemeka Ezeife, Imo State Delegate, Chief Ezeogo Ezikpe, outgoing President, Ohaneze Ndigbo, Chief Ralph Uwechue, and Chairman, South-East Council of Traditional Rulers, Eze Cletus Ilomuanya, during Ohaneze Ndigbo 2013 NEC election in Enugu, last Saturday.