CR-SEMA Assure Victims Of Support After Fire Razed Shops, Destroyed Valuables In Calabar 

By David Asu

A fire outbreak has destroyed three shops and a two-bedroom apartment at 37 Ebuka Street, White House, Calabar South Local Government Area of Cross River State, leaving the property owners and tenants counting their losses.

The incident occurred in the early hours of Saturday, November 14, 2026, with a suspected electrical fault believed to have triggered the fire.

Speaking at the scene, the Director General of the Cross River State Emergency Management Agency (CR-SEMA), Mr. Efa Nyong, described the incident as unfortunate and sympathized with the victims over their losses.

Nyong assured the affected persons of the State Government’s intervention, noting that a thorough assessment would be conducted to determine the extent of the damage and establish the necessary support required.

In her account, the landlady of the property, Mrs. Arit Effiong Effiom, attributed the outbreak to an electrical spark, describing the incident as devastating.

She explained that the shops and apartment served as important sources of livelihood through rental income, adding that although her own section of the building was not directly affected, she had lost properties accumulated over several decades.

The elderly landlady appealed to the government for assistance, saying the disaster had left her in a difficult situation.

Also speaking, Mr. Aniedi Anderson, a bar operator whose business was among those destroyed, lamented that he had lost virtually everything, including chillers, refrigerators, generators, chairs and goods stocked in his shop.

He described the incident as a devastating setback that had brought his business back to zero and appealed for government support to help him recover.

Other affected shop owners and tenants also recounted their losses, including clothing, household belongings and other personal properties destroyed by the fire.

Although no casualties were recorded, the fire razed the affected sections of the property, leaving the victims with significant material losses.

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