A fire outbreak has destroyed parts of a residential building on Fabikez Street in Omagba Phase 2, Onitsha North Local Government Area of Anambra State, leaving a 95-year-old woman dead after she was reportedly trapped inside the property.
The incident occurred on Friday evening when flames were said to have erupted from one of the apartments in the two-storey house around 5:15 pm. The fire quickly spread to nearby units, causing panic among tenants and residents in the area.
Although the exact cause of the blaze has not yet been determined, eyewitnesses said thick smoke and flames engulfed the building within minutes, forcing occupants to rush out for safety. Neighbours and passersby reportedly joined efforts to contain the situation before firefighters arrived.
The Anambra State Fire Service later responded to a distress call and dispatched personnel and equipment to the scene. After battling the flames for several hours, the firefighters were able to bring the situation under control and prevent further damage to surrounding buildings.
A resident, identified simply as Uche, described the incident as frightening. He recalled that shouts filled the compound as people scrambled to escape and rescue their belongings.
“It was a terrifying moment. The smoke and fire spread very fast and everyone was in panic trying to put it out. Sadly, the elderly woman couldn’t make it out alive,” he said.
The fire reportedly destroyed property worth millions of naira, though the full extent of the losses has yet to be assessed. The landlord was not immediately available for comments.
In a statement on Saturday, the Media and Publicity Unit of the Anambra State Fire Service, headed by Fire Chief Chukwudi Chiketa, confirmed the incident. According to him, the agency received an emergency call at about 5:08 pm and immediately deployed a fire truck and personnel.
He noted that the team succeeded in containing the fire and returned to the station around 7:45 pm. Chiketa added that investigations are ongoing to determine the cause of the outbreak.
While expressing sympathy over the fatality, the fire service urged residents to take preventive measures and promptly report fire emergencies to enable faster response.
