Fire outbreak renders 35 families homeless in Delta

At least six people have been reportedly injured while 35 families were rendered homeless following a fire outbreak in a residential area comprising makeshift buildings at Opi Street in Ugboroke Community in Uvwie Local Government Area of Delta state.

According to reports, the fire which broke out at 11.55am on Sunday destroyed properties worth millions of naira and personal belongings of the affected families.

Some of the victims, who claimed they had nowhere to go and have decided to hang around the razed buildings, alleged that the fire emanated from power upsurge in one of the apartments on Sunday morning.

Eyewitnesses told our correspondent that many of the affected persons were in church when they were informed that fire had gutted their homes and that before they got home, the damage had been done.

Pleading with the state Governor, Ifeanyi Okowa, to assist them with relief materials, the victims said that all their life savings, including their children’s certificates were consumed in the inferno.

One of the victims, Madam Victoria Boyi, said the clothes she wore to church were the only things she had left, saying that every other thing was destroyed before she and her children could rush home to save their belongings.

“I have been managing with my children in this one room before this fire came to double our pains. All our savings and my little market are all gone. Not even a shirt or plates were we able to save from the fire outbreak. We lost everything. As I speak to you, I have no money with which to eat or feed my children.

“I appeal to Governor Okowa to have mercy us and come to our aid. We slept outside yesterday (Sunday) because we have nowhere to go. I am a widow. I don’t know where to start. Governor Okowa, please, in the spirit of your victory, help us.’’.

A 20-year-old female basketball player with Peace Basketball Academy, Warri, Miss Obukevwo Avwerosuo, whose parents’ apartment was also razed, said the six injured persons were receiving treatment at various hospitals in the locality.

When contacted, the Uviwe Local Government Area Chairman, Ransom Onoyake, confirmed the incident, describing it as unfortunate, saying that the council was already working out modalities on how to assist the victims.