A mother and her four children have been confirmed dead following a devastating fire that razed their apartment in Rivers State.
The tragic incident occurred in the early hours of Thursday, September 17, 2026, at a residential building in the Mile 3 area of Diobu, Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital.
Residents said the fire broke out while the family was asleep, trapping the victims inside the apartment.
Efforts by neighbours to rescue them were unsuccessful as the flames spread rapidly through the building.
Witnesses said panic gripped the community as residents battled to contain the inferno before the arrival of emergency responders.
The victims, identified as a woman and her four children, were reportedly burnt beyond recognition.
Officials of the Rivers State Fire Service later arrived at the scene and succeeded in extinguishing the fire, preventing it from spreading to nearby buildings.
The cause of the fire had yet to be officially determined as of the time of filing this report, although preliminary accounts from residents suggested it may have originated from an electrical fault.
Security operatives and emergency officials visited the scene to assess the damage and commence investigations into the incident.
The tragedy has thrown the community into mourning, with residents expressing shock over the loss of the family.
One resident described the incident as heartbreaking, saying neighbours made frantic efforts to gain access to the apartment but were overwhelmed by the intensity of the fire.
Authorities urged residents to observe fire safety measures and ensure regular checks of electrical installations in their homes to prevent similar incidents.
Investigations into the cause of the fire are ongoing.
