Fire Razes Homes, Shops in Calabar as Residents Stone Firefighters Over Late Arrival

 

  Tension flared in the Goldie area of Calabar, Cross River State, after residents reportedly attacked firefighters with stones over what they described as a delayed response to a fire outbreak that razed homes and shops.

The fire incident occurred along Goldie Street,

 close to Bedwell Street, while many residents

 were away attending church services on Sunday.

 By the time emergency responders arrived,

 properties worth an estimated ₦100 million had

 already been destroyed, including three

 residential buildings and several commercial

 outlets.

A resident of the community, Ugockwu Eze,

 expressed frustration over the handling of the

 emergency, alleging that firefighters failed to

 respond promptly after distress calls were made.

 According to him, the fire had already consumed

 mattresses, shop goods, and household items

 before any intervention took place.

“They only appeared after the damage had been

 done,” Eze said, adding that the delay contributed

 significantly to the scale of the losses recorded.

Another eyewitness, Akpan Bassey, said multiple

 fire service units including those from the

 University of Calabar, the Federal Fire Service,

 and the Cross River State Fire Service were

 contacted shortly after the flames were spotted.

 He claimed, however, that none arrived in time

 to contain the blaze.

Bassey explained that when a fire truck

 eventually reached the area, residents angered

 by the slow response and the condition of the

 equipment began throwing stones, sachets of

 water, and other objects at the firefighters,

 forcing them to withdraw from the scene.

One of the victims, Wilson Akpan, who owns a

 mattress shop affected by the fire, described the

 incident as devastating. He blamed what he

 called inadequate firefighting facilities and poor

 emergency preparedness for the extensive losses

 suffered.

“This kind of delay has happened before, and it

 keeps leading to avoidable destruction of lives

 and property,” Akpan lamented.

Responding to the allegations, the Director of the

 Cross River State Fire Service, Denise Ajom,

 rejected claims that the fire crew was negligent

 or deliberately slow in responding.

Ajom said the service acted based on when the

 distress call was officially received and noted that

 the state lacks advanced fire detection technology

 to immediately pinpoint outbreaks. He also

 explained that security concerns influenced the

 response.

“We needed police support before fully engaging

 because the area is known to be volatile,” Ajom

 said. “People should understand the limitations

 we face before resorting to violence.”

The incident has once again drawn attention to

 the state of emergency response infrastructure

 and the growing frustration among residents

 during fire emergencies.