The death of a pregnant woman in the recent fire disaster in Okrika area of Rivers State has set a tone of angst in the state.
Details from a report in BusinessDay: The horrific electrocution of a pregnant woman and others coupled with fire disaster in a community in Rivers State.
The calls are for probe into electric supply-induced inferno in Rivers community. Some of the groups have taken their protests to the electricity distribution company in the Port Harcourt zone.
The loudest call for immediate investigation has come from Dr Fyneface Dumnamene, Executive Director of the Youth and Environmental Advocacy Centre (YEAC-Nigeria) who has called for thorough investigation into the root cause of Sunday’s fire outbreak in Okrika Local Government Area of Rivers State.
The midnight inferno reportedly claimed three lives, including a pregnant woman, leaving several others with varying degrees of burns and destroying property worth millions of Naira.
Sources within the community said the incident occurred around midnight on Sunday, June 1, 2025, following the restoration of electricity by the Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Company (PHED).
Residents said the power was restored with high voltage, which triggered electrical sparks in multiple buildings. While, others claimed a high-tension cable snapped and fell on the lower-tension cables, sending high voltage into the community’s grid.
Dr Dumnamene said, “The fire may have started from a faulty electrical appliance in one of the buildings, not necessarily from the high-tension lines.
“It’s essential we conduct a proper investigation before apportioning blame. Many houses in the area have substandard wiring that cannot handle heavy electrical loads like air conditioners, which can lead to disasters like this.”
He urged residents and landlords to prioritize safety by upgrading faulty electrical systems and ensuring professional wiring in their buildings.
Among the three that lost their lives in the incident were an officer of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) and a pregnant woman.
Justina Moses, a vegetable farmer and mother of five, recounted her narrow escape from the inferno. She said the NDLEA officer, who was her neighbour, was electrocuted while attempting to cut off his electrical connection from the mains during the power surge.
The resulting spark from the fuse ignited the fire that engulfed the area.
“I lost everything in that fire, money, property, and the roof over my head. Since the incident, my children and I have been sleeping outside. We are homeless, and I have no money to rent another place. I’m pleading with the government and kind-hearted Nigerians for help.”
Micah Akpan, another victim, blamed the Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Company (PHEDC) for what he described as negligence.
“The fire started immediately PHED restored electricity with a very high voltage. There was an explosion, and we tried using water mixed with detergent to put out the fire, but it only got worse. The power wasn’t cut off even while the fire raged. PHED should have responded faster to the surge.”
Meanwhile, the affected families have appealed for urgent government intervention and public assistance to rebuild their lives after the tragic loss.
Olubukola Ilevbare, Head, Corporate Affairs, Port Harcourt Electric Distribution Company (PHEDC), when contacted, said investigation into the root cause of the incident is ongoing. She said the company will make a statement when it has concluded the probe.
As yet, 24 hours after incident, no response or statement has been made by the state government or administrator of the local government areas.
