by crossriverwatch admin
A fire which razed number 7 Amika Utuk Street, a residential house in Calabar the Cross River State capital has left scores homeless even as two persons sustained serious injuries.
Though residents of the burnt building narrowly escaped death, two persons were however injured and property worth millions of naira was destroyed.
The fire which started at about 7.30 pm took residents by surprise and effectively razed down the entire edifice with none of the residents able to salvage their property from the raging flame.
Some residents of the building said to be students of the University of Calabar (UNICAL) who just returned to school from the protracted ASUU strike, had most of their valuables consumed in the inferno.
Other residents of the burnt building where said to be in church when the fire started and where shocked to see the house in flames when they came back home.
The landlord, Mr. Etim Bassey said he was not at home when the fire started and was shocked when a neighbor called to tell him his house was on fire.
“I was in my village when I was told my house went up in flame. I did not know the magnitude of the incident until when I returned.”
Mr. Bassey who was in tears said ‘I lost everything I worked for in my life.’
Though he bemoaned the fate that has befallen him, he however expressed gratitude to God that no life was lost.
He passionately appealed to the State Government through the Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) and other relevant agencies to come to their aid.
The landlord and his tenants who are now squatting with neighbours said “they (government) should please come to our rescue as we have been displaced and rendered homeless.”
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