Three persons have been reportedly injured while others were homeless from a fire outbreak in Unyenge community of Mbo local government area of Akwa Ibom state.
It was gathered that the inferno which occurred on Thursday night in the fishing community trapped two women who were cooking as they sustained various degrees of injuries before they were rushed to the hospital.
An eyewitness Etim Okwong said the fire was ignited when some people were rolling petrol in a big nylon just to escape security operatives but the nylon broke and the petrol rushed catching at the point where the women were cooking.
“I learnt that some people were rolling petrol and the plastic tore and rolled down to where there was fire and an explosion happened. I also learnt that two women that were cooking sustained injuries.
“Also no less than four houses were razed, drums of fuel, three Tricycles (Keke Napep) were destroyed by the inferno”
Meanwhile, the member representing Mbo state constituency, Hon. Effiong Johnson has reported the incident on the floor of the state House of Assembly under matter of urgent public importance during Thursday’s plenary.
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The lawmaker lamented that many of his constituents whose houses were torched have been rendered homeless and appealed to the Speaker of the Assembly Rt Hon Aniekan Bassey to direct the state government to visit the people of the affected area and support them with relief materials.
Responding, the Speaker, Mr Aniekan Bassey referred the matter to the House Committee on Works and Fire Service directing the committee to report back to the House within one week.
Fielding questions from newsmen on the fire incident after plenary session, the Mbo state Lawmaker said: “Last night (Wednesday) the local government Chairman contacted me and informed me about the fire disaster in Unyenge community. So I went there this morning to see things myself.
“From the information I got a lot of families have been rendered homeless. That is why I have to report the incident to the Speaker today so that government can assist. Thank God today is sitting. We normally have this fire disaster between November and December in the area.
“And the problem we have is that there is no fire service in the environment, we don’t even have any fire fighting equipment. I am asking the state government to give Mbo local government fire fighting equipment because the people are into fishing,” he said
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