BOMADI, Delta State — One person has died and at least five buildings have been destroyed following a devastating early morning fire that swept through Bomadi-Overside, the commercial hub of Bomadi Local Government Area of Delta State.
The inferno, which occurred between 4:25 a.m. and 5:00 a.m. on Saturday along the former Our Saviour’s Hospital Street, destroyed property worth millions of naira and left several families homeless.
The fire also dealt a severe blow to traders operating at the popular Bomadi-Overside Market, a major commercial centre that attracts buyers and sellers from riverine communities and neighbouring upland areas.
A survivor, Mrs. Esther Thomas, told our correspondent that the blaze started shortly after 4:00 a.m. and that she was awakened by the commotion from her neighbours.
“It was shortly after 4 a.m. when my Hausa neighbours raised the alarm. When I stepped outside, I saw that their room was already on fire. I shouted that they should alert the neighbourhood because the fire was spreading rapidly,” she said.
Thomas explained that she managed to salvage only a few clothes before the flames engulfed her room.
“I ran to my sister’s house nearby, but the fire had already spread there. We had no choice but to abandon everything and run for our lives. I am already preparing to bury my late mother, and now this tragedy has happened. I don’t even know where to begin,” she lamented.
Another resident, Mr. Kurō-asain Tamaraukuro, said community members made frantic efforts to contain the fire by fetching water from the nearby river, but the intensity of the blaze overwhelmed them.
“The fire started around 5 a.m. Young people in the neighbourhood tried their best to put it out, but it spread too quickly. It completely destroyed a 12-room apartment and several surrounding buildings,” he said.
He appealed to Delta State Governor Sheriff Oborevwori and the Chairman of Bomadi Local Government Council, Hon. Dagidi Andaye, to urgently assist the victims.
“Our neighbours have lost everything. We appeal to the governor and the council chairman to visit the scene and provide relief for those affected,” he said.
Also speaking, former Vice Chairman of Perefōū Quarters, Mr. Doutimiariye Ndakwe, called on relevant emergency management agencies to intervene without delay.
“We urge the appropriate government authorities and the Bomadi Local Government Council to respond swiftly and provide emergency assistance to the victims,” he said.
An elderly resident, Ma Stella Tonkiye, speaking in the Ijaw language, also appealed to Governor Oborevwori and Hon. Andaye to support the displaced families and the relatives of the deceased.
She said the victims had lost all their belongings in the inferno and urgently needed government intervention to rebuild their lives.
The cause of the fire had not been officially determined as of the time of filing this report, while residents called for a thorough investigation to prevent a recurrence.
About Author
