6 members of a family died in Port Harcourt fire

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A  fire incident  that started around 2 pm on Saturday consumed a family of six in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital.

The family included  three sons and a daughter, aged seven, nine, seventeen and twenty two, as well as their parents.

Two other daughters of the deceased parents were not at home when the fire started.  They had  relocated to study and write the ongoing Senior Secondary School Certificate examinations.

The unfortunate incident happened at No. 17, New Estate Road, Railway Quarters, old Port Harcourt Township, popularly called.

The deceased husband who was  a taxi driver and his wife   a petty trader had  their property completely burnt, while neighbours made efforts to ensure that the fire did not spread to other apartments in the quarters.

The cause of the fire could not be ascertained last night, but sources said a loud explosion was heard, probably from the apartment of the deceased.  The  neighbours reportedly  scampered  for  safety, leading to confusion.

The weeping landlord of the compound, who pleaded not to be named, described the incident as really pathetic.

Rivers State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Angela Agabe,  confirmed the incident, but that the details were still sketchy at press time.