No fewer than four persons have have been confirmed dead following a massive fire outbreak that occurred on Monday at the Nembe jetty in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
Africa Today News, New York gathered that several boats and goods worth millions of naira were also destroyed in the inferno.
Sources at the jetty narrated that a boat loaded with petroleum product suspected to be kerosene caught fire which extended to other boats parked at the Jetty.
According to eyewitnesses, the massive blaze started off from a wooden boat that was conveying food items for local traders at the Nembe waterfront.
It is strongly believed that the boat may have also had in it, inflammable substances like illegally refined petroleum products, a common business activity at the ghetto waterfront, which sparked the fire.
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The inferno at the Nembe jetty is the third massive fire outbreak to be recorded in Rivers State within 48 hours.
Police Public Relations Officer, Nnamdi Omoni confirmed to Channels Television that four burnt human skulls have been recovered from the scene.
There are indications that the figure may increase as eyewitness reports claim that several persons were caught up in the inferno at the busy waterfront in the old township area.
The fire which started off from a wooden boat conveying traders and their goods, is believed to have been sparked by illegally refined petroleum products which are sometimes concealed in such boats to evade arrest by security personnel.
This incident is the third devastating fire outbreak to be reported in Rivers state in 48 hours.
In all the cases, illegally refined petroleum products are strongly believed to be the cause.
AFRICA TODAY NEWS, NEW YORK