A fire outbreak in the early hours of Monday razed the warehouse of the Rivers State Primary Health Care Management Board along Accra Street in the Old Port Harcourt Township area, destroying critical medical supplies stored in the facility.
The inferno, which reportedly began around 2:00 a.m., sparked panic among residents as flames ripped through the warehouse believed to contain drugs, vaccines, syringes and other medical items designated for distribution to primary healthcare centres and hospitals across Rivers State.
Eyewitnesses said emergency responders were alerted shortly after the fire started. Still, officials of the fire service reportedly arrived at the scene around 4:00 a.m., by which time the blaze had spread extensively.
Residents in the area further disclosed that firefighters were still battling to contain the raging fire as of 3:00 p.m. on Monday.
Although no casualties were recorded, sources at the scene feared that medical supplies worth billions of naira may have been lost in the incident.
As of the time of filing this report, the cause of the fire remained unknown, while authorities of the Rivers State Primary Health Care Board and relevant emergency agencies had yet to issue an official statement on the incident or confirm the extent of the damage.
