A section of the Rivers State Secretariat Complex in Port Harcourt was on Monday evening gutted by fire, destroying several offices and properties within the building.
The fire, which reportedly started after office hours on the ground floor of the Podium Block, affected part of the nine-storey structure before it was brought under control.
The incident occurred barely a week after Governor Siminalayi Fubara dissolved the Rivers State Pensions Board, whose nearby office narrowly escaped the blaze.
Confirming the incident, the State Head of Service, Dr (Mrs) Inyinge Brown, attributed the cause of the fire to an electrical fault, adding that there were no casualties.
Brown said firefighters from the Rivers State Fire Service, the Federal Fire Service, Renaissance, and the Nigerian military responded promptly to contain the inferno.
“We were informed that there was a fire incident at the right wing, ground floor of the Podium Block, and we immediately called the Rivers State Fire Service, who responded promptly,” she said.
“We also called other partners of the state, such as the Renaissance, Federal Fire Service, and the military, who sent their fire trucks. It was a combined effort, and as we speak, the fire has been contained.”
She commended Governor Fubara for his prior investment in the state’s fire service, saying it played a crucial role in averting a larger disaster.
“We thank God, and we thank His Excellency, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, for being proactive in rehabilitating the Fire Service before now. If not for his investment, this situation would have been worse,” she said.
The Head of Service also urged civil servants to adopt safety precautions by switching off all electrical appliances and unplugging sockets before leaving the office.
“We urge all civil servants to take responsibility for their safety. Turn off sockets and lights, and ensure they are unplugged to prevent residual charges. These are heritage buildings, and we must protect them,” she added.
Dr Brown further assured that the state government would commence immediate rehabilitation of the affected sections of the complex.