Parts of the residence of the Publisher of Niger Delta Herald Newspapers, Dr. Francis Dufugha, have been gutted by fire in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State.
The incident happened on Wednesday night after smoke was noticed coming from the kitchen section of the apartment.
Eyewitnesses told our correspondent that neighbours raised the alarm when they noticed thick smoke billowing from the building.
No casualty was recorded as no occupant was in the house at the time of the incident.
Dufugha was said to be in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, on an academic assignment when he was contacted.
It was gathered that neighbours forced their way into the apartment and battled to put out the fire before it spread to other parts of the building.
Reacting, Dufugha expressed gratitude that no life was lost, describing the incident as unfortunate.
He said, “I thank God that no life was lost. Property can be replaced, but human life cannot. I am deeply saddened by the incident, but I am also grateful to the neighbours who responded quickly and helped to put out the fire.”
He said the fire might have been caused by an electrical fault, noting that public power supply was restored around the time the outbreak started.
He added that the exact cause of the fire had yet to be determined.
He commended neighbours for their prompt response which prevented further damage.
