Fire has razed about 100 makeshift houses at Elechi beach in Diobu, Port Harcourt, Rivers State, leaving many residents homeless.
A member of a local vigilante group, Emmanuel Emmanuel, said the fire was caused by an electric spark.
Emmanuel said: “It was in the afternoon PHED wire sparked and the next thing we saw was fire. We saw huge flames at a makeshift house. We called the fire service but they could not come”.
He explained that he assisted the police to prevent hoodlums from looting people’s properties.
A resident, Felex Ekeh, dismissed speculations that the fire was caused by illegally-refined petroleum products.
“More than 100 rooms were gutted by fire. There was power outage and when power was restored that was when the fire started.
When we noticed the fire surpassed us, I had to run down to fire service office.
“I called them to inform that there was an ongoing fire outbreak and the replied that they were coming, but we did not see them.”
