By Rita Enemuru, Reporting
THE night was quiet in Ugboroke, a serene community in Delta State’s Uvwie Local Government Area — until the calm was shattered by the crackle of fire and the cries of helpless traders watching their life’s work go up in flames.
By dawn on Friday, what once stood as a cluster of bustling furniture workshops and a small cafeteria at the entrance of Haven Estate, opposite the NNPC Housing Estate, had been reduced to smouldering ruins. Charred planks, twisted iron frames, and the faint smell of burnt varnish told the story of a disaster that struck when the town slept.
Eyewitnesses said the fire began around midnight. Some residents suggested that a fallen high-tension cable may have sparked the inferno — a suspicion yet to be confirmed by authorities.
Firefighters, aided by local youths, battled through the night to contain the blaze, preventing it from spreading to nearby homes.
Despite their courage, the fire left behind a trail of ruin — consuming everything in its path, including the workshops of two artisans, Mr Tunde Musa and Mr Kasim Abdurazaq, who now stand among the ashes, mourning their losses.
“They called me a little after midnight,” Musa recalled, staring blankly at the charred remains of his shop.
“By the time I got here, there was nothing left. The firefighters were trying, but everything was already gone. I can’t describe how I feel right now — I’ve lost everything.”
Musa, like many others at the scene, appealed to Governor Sheriff Oborevwori and the Uvwie Local Government Council to intervene and support the affected traders in rebuilding their businesses.
For Abdurazaq, the tragedy was not just financial — it was deeply personal.
“When I arrived, my workshop was already in flames. I couldn’t save a thing — not even my personal belongings, nor my customers’ furniture. Everything is gone,” he said, visibly shaken. “I don’t even know how to face my customers. I don’t know where to start.”
As the morning sun broke through the smoke, scavengers were seen picking through the ruins, gathering bits of metal and wood. Around them, traders stood silently, watching years of hard work vanish before their eyes.
Ugboroke residents, still in shock, described the fire as one of the most devastating incidents in recent times.
They called for improved emergency response systems and proper maintenance of electrical infrastructure to prevent future tragedies.
As of the time of filing this report, the Delta State Fire Service had yet to issue an official statement on the cause of the inferno.
What remains certain, however, is that for the victims of this midnight blaze, the road to recovery will be long; and the memories of that night, unforgettable.
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