My Neighborhood Watch #119 - Reporting Events Around us|| 🔥 Fire Outbreak at Rivers State Government Secretariat

Picture from an eye witness account of the Burnt section of rivers state Secretariat

INTRODUCTION

Hello friends,
I hope you are doing well today. I want to share with you a recent incident that shook Rivers State — the fire outbreak at the Rivers State Government Secretariat in Port Harcourt.

What Happened?

According to reports, the fire started around 5:00 PM on the ground floor of the Podium Block (right wing), which houses the Pensions Board. Workers had already closed for the day when the fire broke out, which reduced the chances of human casualties.

Fire services from the state and federal fire departments, alongside military support, were quickly mobilized to bring the situation under control.

Picture from an eye witness account of the Burnt section of rivers state Secretariat

Cause of the Fire

Investigations so far point to an electrical fault as the major cause. Thankfully, there were no human casualties. But valuable property, equipment, and documents inside the affected offices were destroyed.

Damages Recorded

Part of the Podium Block was razed.

The Pensions Board office was heavily affected.

Office furniture, computers, and files were lost in the fire.

Work and services in that section of the Secretariat will be disrupted for a while

Picture from an eye witness account of the Burnt section of rivers state Secretariat

Lessons & Prevention

This incident is another reminder of why fire safety must be a top priority in both public and private institutions. To prevent a repeat, here are key measures that should be taken:

• Regular Electrical Inspections :
  Faulty wiring and overloaded sockets must be detected early.

• ** Functional Fire Safety Equipment:**
  extinguishers, smoke detectors, and fire alarms should be in place.

• ** Fire Drills & Training:
  staff should know evacuation routes and how to handle emergencies.

• ** Maintenance Culture:**
  Appliances and equipment should be properly shut down after work hours.

• Upgraded Infrastructure :
  government buildings need modern fire-resistant materials and designs.

Picture from an eye witness account of the Burnt section of rivers state Secretariat

CONCLUSION

We are grateful no lives were lost in this incident, but the damage to property and disruption of services is a big blow. It is my hope that the Rivers State Government will not just repair the damage but also put in place better preventive measures going forward.

What do you think — do we take fire safety seriously enough in Nigeria, or do we only act after a disaster has already happened?

I now invite the following persons to participate in this contest:
@goodnews2020
@abdullaht
@bendelta28