Property worth millions of naira has been destroyed following a fire outbreak in Okuku, Yala Local Government Area of Cross River State on Thursday night.
The inferno, which reportedly started from a bungalow, spread rapidly to nearby buildings before it could be brought under control, leaving several structures in ruins.
According to the News Agency of Nigeria, residents—mostly youths and women—made frantic efforts to salvage belongings from the affected homes as the fire raged.
An eyewitness, Benjamin Ogar, attributed the incident to a power surge from the public electricity supply, noting that significant losses were recorded, particularly in the building where the fire originated.
“This fire was caused by an electric power surge, and a lot was lost in the main building affected by the inferno,” he said, lamenting the absence of an effective firefighting response.
Ogar added that attempts to get help from the local fire station proved futile, as officials reportedly lacked the necessary equipment to tackle the blaze.
Another resident, Nsikak Abang, called on the government to urgently rehabilitate fire service stations across the state’s three senatorial districts, warning that the current state of emergency response services poses a serious risk to lives and property.
He stressed that similar conditions exist in major areas such as Calabar and Ogoja, urging authorities to act swiftly to prevent future disasters.
“If the government is serious about public safety, it should equip fire service stations because emergencies don’t ring bells,” he said.
When contacted, Emmanuel Ajom, Director of the Cross River State Fire Service, confirmed that the agency’s fire trucks are currently under maintenance.
