Fire razes many houses in A’Ibom community

Akpan Umoh, Uyo

Many were injured and others rendered homeless in the fire disaster that occurred Tuesday night in Esuk Unyenge in the Mbo Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State.

Reportedly, two women cooking around the area were among those that sustained various degrees of injuries and were rushed to the hospital for treatment.

An indigene of the area, Daniel Nkereuwem, said, “Some people were rolling petrol and the plastic got broken and rolled down to where there was the fire that resulted in an explosion. Two women that were cooking got injured following the inferno.

“About four houses were burnt, drums of fuel and three tricycles (Keke NAPEP), were also destroyed in the inferno”.

Meanwhile, the member representing Mbo State Constituency, Mr Effiong Johnson, brought the incident on the floor of the House under a matter of urgent public importance during Thursday’s plenary.

Johnson, who lamented that many of his constituents whose houses were torched have been rendered homeless, appealed to the Speaker of the House to direct the state government to visit the people of the affected area and support them with relief materials.

In his brief remarks, the Speaker, Mr Aniekan Bassey referred the matter to the House Committee of Works and Fire Service and to report back to the House within one week.

Fielding questions from newsmen on the fire incident after the plenary session, the Mbo lawmaker said: “Last night (Wednesday) the LGA chairman contacted me and informed me about the fire disaster in Unyenge. So, I went there this morning to see things myself.

“From the information I got a lot of families have been rendered homeless. That is why I have to report the incident to the speaker today so that government can assist. Thank God today is sitting. We normally have this fire disaster between November and December in the area.

“And the problem we have is that there is no fire service in the environment, we don’t even have any firefighting equipment. I am asking the state government to give Mbo LGA firefighting equipment as the people are into fishing.”