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Multiple explosions have reportedly rocked the Bonny-Bille-Nembe Jetty in Port Harcourt, Rivers State capital, destroying goods and property worth millions of naira on Monday.
In April 2022, a pregnant woman, a two-month-old baby, and two others allegedly lost their lives during an early morning fire at the Bonny-Bille-Nembe Jetty.
Also, over 40 boats were burnt in the fire said to be caused by persons who attempted to load illegally refined products popularly known as kpofire in the local parlance.
The fire which is still raging had consumed over six market boats with passengers trapped in it.
The Bonny-Bille-Nembe Jetty is a popular transit point for riverine folks travelling outside Port Harcourt and outside the state.
Three children and two others perished when a similar incident occurred on a large wooden passenger boat and was gutted by fire at the same jetty in November 2021.
Though the cause of the latest fire could not be immediately ascertained, however, some eyewitnesses blamed it on the indiscriminate storage and transportation of illegal refined petroleum products in the area.
One of the eyewitness, who gave his name as Lartey, said, “The fire actually started with an explosion. Some house boats carried liquid materials suspected to be refined oil when it started.
“The first explosion led to two other explosions in the boats. Some makeshift buildings and structures near the jetty were also affected.”
He further said the incident caused pandemonium as traders and travellers ran helter-skelter to salvage what they could lay their hands on.
The source said he went to buy some items with which to travel with when he heard the explosion, saying hundreds of people stood afar to watch the tick black smoke billow into the atmosphere.
Some workers at the jetty and other volunteers escorted to self help by mixing detergents and sand in water to put out the raging fire.
“As they were doing that, the fire subsided but it was inside the River so it was difficult to access the other part looking into the deep waters.
“So it it was still raging and the crowd of people were just watching helplessly as the boat let burning,” the eyewitness added.
Our correspondent who raced to the scene reports that about three wooden boats suspected to be housing refined petroleum products exploded, leading to the destruction of houses, buildings, cars and other valuables.
