A late-evening fire on Monday destroyed part of the Rivers State Secretariat Complex in Port Harcourt. The inferno tore through offices and properties within the multi-storey Podium Block.
Eyewitnesses said the fire began on the ground floor shortly after the close of work. Thick smoke rose into the sky as workers and passersby scrambled for safety.
Fortunately, the Rivers State Pensions Board office nearby escaped damage. The incident occurred barely a week after Governor Siminalayi Fubara dissolved the board, adding a twist to the tragedy.
Firefighters from the Rivers State Fire Service led the rescue operation. They worked alongside teams from the Federal Fire Service, Renaissance Fire Unit, and the military. Together, they battled the flames with several trucks and brought the fire under control.
Head of Service, Dr. (Mrs.) Inyinge Brown confirmed the incident while addressing journalists at the scene. She said quick intervention by firefighters stopped the flames from spreading to other sections of the building.
“We received reports of a fire on the right wing of the Podium Block,” Brown explained. “Our fire service responded immediately, and other partners joined. Their combined effort contained the blaze.”
She attributed the cause of the fire to an electrical fault. However, she confirmed that life was lost in the incident.
Dr. Brown praised Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, for reviving the state’s fire service. According to her, his investment in the agency made the swift response possible. “Without his timely reforms, the damage could have been worse,” she noted.
She also advised civil servants to turn off and unplug electrical appliances after work hours. “These are heritage buildings,” she stressed. “Everyone must take responsibility for safety.”
The Head of Service assured that the government would repair the affected offices immediately to restore full operations at the secretariat.
