A section of the Rivers State Secretariat Complex in Port Harcourt was engulfed in fire on Friday, destroying some property but leaving no casualties.

The blaze reportedly began around 4pm on the ground floor of the Podium Block and spread to the office of the newly established Rivers State Pension Board. Early reports suggest an electrical fault may have triggered the incident.

Dr Honour Sirawoo, Permanent Secretary of the State Ministry of Information, confirmed that firefighters acted quickly to control the fire.

“The fire started on the right side of the Podium Block. Fortunately, the State and Federal Fire Services intervened promptly and managed to contain it,” Sirawoo said.

Rivers State Head of Service, Dr Inyinge Brown, also confirmed that no lives were lost and commended the State Fire Service for its rapid response.

“We immediately alerted the State Fire Service, and other partners including the Federal Fire Service, Renaissance, and the military also sent their fire trucks. Thanks to this combined effort, the fire has been contained,” Brown said.

She praised Governor Siminalayi Fubara’s investment in rehabilitating the State Fire Service, noting that without it, the outcome could have been worse.

Brown further advised civil servants to unplug electrical devices after work to prevent similar incidents, especially in heritage buildings.