Several persons, including a pregnant woman and a toddler, have been reportedly burnt to death in an early morning fire at the popular Bonny-Bille-Nembe jetty State.in the Port Harcourt, Rivers on Monday.
Eyewitnesses said some were drowned while others were still missing after the inferno that destroyed the busy jetty.
The fire, which reportedly started around 2am, razed over 60 wooden boats and speedboats with most of the victims said to have been burnt beyond recognition.
An eyewitness, who spoke in confidence, said the tragedy occurred when some persons were trying to discharge illegally-refined petroleum products popularly called ‘kpofire’.
The source said: “They have warned these people not to be carrying diesel and fuel inside the boat. Now see what has happened.
“I am sure that many people died, even a pregnant woman and a baby. Around 2am I and my friend came out after we heard a large sound like explosion. Some people were sleeping”.
Another source, who identified herself as Princess, insisted that many of the dead victims could not be accounted for.
She said: “Many people died because we have not seen some women. About 30 people may have died. But they have seen two children. For the boats that got burnt, we can’t even count them”.
A woman, who escaped with her two children but lost her five-month-old, narrated her ordeals.
