It was a black Friday in Bonny Island as fire gutted the ancient and famous 150 year old Orumbie House with loss of property worth millions, though no life was lost.

Eyewitnesses say the fire, which started in one of the rooms upstairs spread rapidly into other parts of the one storey building leading to the collapse of its wooden floor and roof.

Kristina Reports learnt that fire fighters from the Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) and Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas Limited (NLNG) facilities in the island came to rescue the situation by putting out the fire.  

This raised concerns over the delay in fully activating the fire station built by the Rivers State Government through the efforts of the lawmaker representing Bonny Constituency in the State House of Assembly, Abinye Pepple.

One of the firefighters, who preferred anonymity, told Kristina Reports that “the fire started in one of the rooms upstairs and moved to other areas thus affecting the wooden floor which later caved in. the fire then spread around on the ground floor too”.

Another eyewitness, Precious Abbey hinted Kristina Reports that “our young men actually showed gallantry in putting out the fire. One of them even helped to pull the fire hose to the house and kept pumping water on the fire until that area was doused”.

Also speaking, the Warisenibo (Head) of Orumbie Burusu (subhouse) of Jumbo Major House, Michael Orumbie lamented that the age old ancient landmark has been gutted by fire, stressing that “this house is well over 150 years old and now we have lost it,” expressing gratitude to God that no life was lost in the inferno.

Kristina Reports sighted security operatives from the 146 Battalion of the Nigerian Army and the Nigeria Police providing security overwatch on the area while the situation was being brought under control by the fire fighters.

A concerned citizen, who preferred not to be named, wondered why there was a delay in making the fire station, which is sited along the King Asimini Bypass opposite the newly commissioned Bonny Ultra-Modern Market, regretting that “had this fire station been functioning, we would have been able to put out this fire and other fire incidents”.

“We thank God for the magnanimity of Shell and NLNG otherwise we would have had a situation where the fire would have spread to other nearby houses. But we need our own fire station working.”