Though there was a heavy explosion some hours ago at the Port Harcourt Shopping Mall adjacent to the Government House, Port Harcourt, the Rivers State Government says there was no cause for alarm as the incident has been contained.
Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Tammy Danagogo assured members of the public that the Mall will resume operations tomorrow, Thursday, June 13, 2019, explaining that it was a minor fire incident in the facility which has been contained.
A statement by the Head of Press Unit in the SSG’s Office, Juliana Masi, said Danagogo gave the assurance on Wednesday evening after inspecting the facility alongside the management of the Mall, noting that “the State Government wants this facility up and working because it provides jobs and boosts the economy of the State”.
He said that he was directed by the Governor (Nyesom Wike) to conduct an on-the-spot assessment because of the importance of the facility, expressing happiness that the management of the mall was professional and expeditious to contain the fire.
The SSG sympathised with victims of the fire incident, assuring of adequate medical treatment.
He asked the management of the Port Harcourt Shopping Mall to meet with the State Government on Thursday, June 13, 2019 at the State Secretariat to further discuss other aspects of the incident and possible areas of intervention by the State Government.
Danagogo was accompanied on the inspection visit by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Information, Paulinus Nsirim, and his counterpart in the SSG’s office, Dr George Nwaeke.
In her remarks, Manager of Port Harcourt Shopping Mall, Chioma Okorie, disclosed that the fire incident broke out in a kitchen of one of the shops in the facility.
She said that the fire fighting equipment and officials of the mall helped in putting out the fire, announcing that the facility will be opened to the public on Thursday after the smoke would have cleared out.
The Manager, however, noted that a few persons were injured as a result of the fire incident.
On his part, the State Commissioner of Police, Usman Belel confirmed the incident, stating that preliminary investigations by his men indicated that it was not a terrorist attack and no life was lost as speculated in some quarters.
A statement by the State Police Public Relations Officer, Nnamdi Omoni, said there was no cause for alarm as the command was on top of matter, adding that CP Belel has ordered investigation to ascertain the cause of the incident.
The statement partly reads: “The Rivers State Police Command was today, 12/6/19 at about 1750Hrs greeted with the sad news of an explosion at the Kitchen Section of the Port Harcourt Mall (SPAR) where five persons sustained various degrees of burns. They are currently receiving medical attention at the Braithwaite Memorial Specialist Hospital (BMSH) PH.”
“Meanwhile normal business activities resumed shortly after the incident, as people went about doing their shopping.”
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