Igwurita is a very busy semi-urban community in Rivers State. Though, it is one of the closest communities to Port Harcourt, the state capital, Igwurita community is in Ikwerre local government area of the state.
On Saturday, March 17, 2012, the peaceful Ikwerre-speaking community was thrown into mourning as a result of a fire incident that left in its trail wailing, pain and anguish that would linger for decades.
Just adjacent to the Central State Primary School at Igwuruta Round-about, one of the over 100 model primary schools built by the present administration in the state, was the scene of that fateful day’s tragedy where a family of four, including father, mother with two children were roasted in their sleep.
The tanker was carrying over 33,000 litres of fuel, when it lost control, fell over, spilled its content and bursted into flames at around 4:10 am.
The tanker driver and his conductor also died, bringing the casualty figure to six, while several persons who sustained various degrees of burns may still be receiving treatment in hospitals.
The model primary school which is almost opposite the Igwuruta-Rumuokurushi road, is in a deplorable state which also have contributed to the tragic incident, even as it links the Port Harcourt International Airport, Omagwa.
Eyewitnesses said most residents were still asleep when the incident occurred, just as a middle aged woman who gave her name as Blessing said the family of four were trapped in the inferno.
Residents and passers-by trooped to the scene to catch a glimpse of the charred remains of the family of four who were burnt beyond recognition. No fewer than 30 buildings, including shops were razed, while four cars packed within the vicinity were burnt beyond recognition, like the remains of the four family victims.
To Mr. Clifford Nmegbu, an indigene of the community and owner of the property where the family of four perished, the incident was a night-mare to him as he lost no fewer than 150 rooms as well as the sum of N250,000 and a cheque book to the inferno.
Nmegbu narrated tearfully to this reporter how he inherited part of the property, which include one, two and three bedroom apartments from his late father in 1985, and has since increased the buildings to about 150 rooms, including shops, saying that the property have been his only source of income.
He said: “This is my only source of income. I give out these apartments for rent and from there I feed my younger ones, my three step-mothers, and my three children.”
On the cause of the fire, the 36-year old man said, he and his family, with two of his in-laws who came for a visit were asleep when he heard a heavy sound, suggestive of an accident, since his property is not too far from the road, about 4:30 am on Saturday.
Hear him; “Initially, I thought it was an accident, but when I ran out of my house, I heard people shouting fire! fire!! And when I saw the size of the fire, I ran back to my house and rescued my three children. My wife and my in-laws were also rescued before the fire finished my building.
“But, as I joined others who were trying to ‘quench’ the fire, I find out in the morning that my tenant Mike and his family were burnt and they all died in their sleep.
“I had about N250,000 in my house, but I am left with nothing now. I came out with my boxer shot when the fire started. It was just a friend that gave me N5,000 to enable me buy some wears.”
On the estimate of the property, he said it could cost about N150 million presently, just as he called on the state government to assist him and others who suffered similar fate and expressed happiness that Governor had promised to assist them when he visited the scene of the inferno on Saturday afternoon.
Nmegbu blamed the tanker driver for the inferno, saying that the incident occurred due to the way he negotiated the Igwurita Round-about, saying; “It was as if he has not driven on the road before. That is why the tanker fell towards the stores in front and sparked off fire.”
An eyewitness who gave her name as Chisom said none of the residents of the affected building picked a pin from their houses, because almost all of them were asleep when the incident occurred.
She said some residents sustained injuries while running for their dear lives, pointing out that she and a friend saw the fuel streaming with fire through a shallow water outlet in front of the building.
Chisom said; “The fire was coming from the stores in front of the building, near the road, then another fire came from inside the gutter where water use to pass during rainfall, from there it got to the buildings.”
For Mr. Samuel Iwuchukwu, a butcher, he ran out of his room half-naked as he was having his morning devotion when he suddenly heard people shouting and screaming.
“With wrapper around my waist, I rushed out with the Bible I was holding. There was a massive fire and people were running up and down,” he explained.
Iwuchukwu said he could not enter his one bedroom apartment to remove anything, because of the raging fire, even as he said he lost N800,000 cash which he wanted to use to buy meat on Sunday morning.
The butcher said; “I am butcher and part of that money belongs to some people and I wanted to clear the debt after selling the meat. My cheque book too is gone. Anyway, life continues, as long as I did not die.”
Speaking when he visited the scene of the accident along with his wife, Judith, his deputy, Mr. Tele Ikuru as well as the commissioner for Health, Dr. Sampson Parker, Rivers State Governor, Mr. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi expressed shock and sadness at the loss of lives., saying; “It is so disastrous. I hear an entire family is gone, husband, wife and their children. Now look at the level of damage.”