Panic gripped Port Harcourt on Monday evening as a section of the Rivers State Secretariat Complex went up in flames, destroying several offices and properties.
The inferno, which reportedly began after office hours on the ground floor of the Podium Block, affected parts of the nine-storey building.
Confirming the incident, the State Head of Service, Dr. (Mrs.) Inyinge Brown, attributed the fire to an electrical fault, adding that there were no casualties.
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She praised the swift response of firefighters from the Rivers State Fire Service, the Federal Fire Service, Renaissance, and the military, saying their joint effort prevented further damage.
“We thank God and appreciate His Excellency, Governor Siminalayi Fubara, for being proactive in rehabilitating the fire service before now. Without that, this incident could have been far worse,” she said.
Dr. Brown also cautioned civil servants to switch off and unplug electrical appliances before leaving their offices to prevent similar incidents.
The government, she added, will commence immediate refurbishment of the affected sections.
Interestingly, the fire came barely a week after Governor Fubara dissolved the Rivers State Pensions Board, whose office is located near the affected area but escaped damage.
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