Multiple explosions reportedly hit the Bonny-Bille-Nembe Jetty in Port Harcourt, Rivers State’s capital, on Monday, destroying products and property worth millions of naira.
In April 2022, a pregnant mother, a two-month-old baby, and two people were allegedly killed in an early morning fire at the Bonny-Bille-Nembe Jetty.
In addition, approximately 40 boats were destroyed in the fire, which was alleged to have been started by people attempting to load illegally refined items, also known as kpofire in the local language.
The still-raging fire destroyed over six market boats, trapping passengers inside.
The Bonny-Bille-Nembe Jetty is a popular transportation hub for riverine residents traveling outside of Port Harcourt and the state.
In November 2021, three children and two people died in a similar tragedy on a huge wooden passenger boat that caught fire at the same jetty.
The source of the current fire was not immediately determined, however some eyewitnesses blamed it on the indiscriminate storage and transit of illegal refined petroleum products in the vicinity.
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.