Residents and shop owners counted their losses at Amassoma, the Niger Delta University (NDU), Bayelsa State following an outbreak of fire in Friday evening.
It was gathered that the fire broke out from one of the shops located close to the NDU main gate.

The fire was said to have spread to other stretch of shops consuming goods and other valuables belonging to the victims.
Hundreds of residents besieged the scene but were helpless because of unavailability of fire fighters.

It was learnt that the university, which is located in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area had no fire bay and no firefighting equipment and personnel in the entire university community.

The only state fire service is located in Yenagoa, the state capital, and it takes a journey of over an hour to get to the community.

A student of NDU, who spoke in confidence, said it was not the first time a section of the community was gutted by fire.
“The last time it was a section of t

he market before a firefighting truck arrived the community from Yenagoa, the entire area had been razed.

“We dont have a fire service in the university and the entire community and it will take over an hour for a firefighting truck to get to Amassoma from Yenagoa”, she said.

Also, Faith Joe, a final year student of Accounting, said her project work, which she took to one of the shops for binding was destroyed by the fire.

“I have spent a lot on this project but the fire destroyed everything”, she cried.
She said the fire incident started from a heap of refuse set ablaze by some residents.

She, however, said residents battle the fire and brought it under control after it had destroyed many shops.

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