A fire outbreak on Monday evening gutted a section of the Rivers State Secretariat Complex in Port Harcourt, damaging several offices and property within the facility.
The incident, which occurred after office hours, reportedly started on the ground floor of the Podium Block and affected portions of the nine-storey building before it was brought under control.
The fire came barely a week after Governor Siminalayi Fubara dissolved the Rivers State Pensions Board, whose office—located close to the scene—escaped destruction.
Confirming the incident, the State Head of Service, Dr. (Mrs.) Inyinge Brown, attributed the fire to an electrical fault, adding that there were no casualties.
She commended the swift response of the Rivers State Fire Service, the Federal Fire Service, Renaissance Fire Service, and military personnel, whose combined efforts helped prevent the blaze from spreading.
“We were informed of a fire at the right wing, ground floor of the Podium Block, and we immediately reached out to the state fire service.
They responded promptly, alongside our partners—the Federal Fire Service, Renaissance, and the military—who sent in fire trucks. It was a joint effort, and as we speak, the fire has been fully contained,” Brown said.
She expressed gratitude to Governor Fubara for his recent investments in the state fire service, noting that the prompt response was made possible by the government’s proactive rehabilitation of fire-fighting facilities.
The Head of Service also advised civil servants to adopt safer electrical practices by turning off and unplugging all devices before leaving the office.
“We urge all civil servants to take responsibility for safety. Always switch off and unplug sockets to avoid residual electrical charges.
These are heritage buildings, and we must protect them,” she cautioned.
Dr. Brown assured that the state government would commence rehabilitation of the affected sections of the complex without delay.