A family of nine residing at Arab area of Atimbo, Calabar, Cross River State, have been rendered homeless by a fire outbreak that erupted in the area.
The inferno also left many residents homeless.
Narrating his experience, Mr Etim Offiong Effiom, regretted that the incident had caused him and his family untold hardship, as it rendered them homeless and helpless.
He said the incident happened on January 2, after they went for a Christmas outing and since then life had been difficult.
He called on members of the public to come to their aid, as his children had been out of school due to the incident.
“On January 2, my wife, children and I went for a new year outing only for us to come back around 7:00 p.m. in the evening to find our home consumed by fire.
“All our belongings had been destroyed. We left home at 4:00 p.m. and came back at 7:00 p.m. and found nothing to pick out of our home. Everything was burnt to ashes,” Effiom said.
The victim and his family called for assistance from good-spirited Nigerians to enable them to survive, as life had become unbearable for them.
Similarly, traders at Marian market, Calabar are counting losses over the inferno that erupted in the market on Saturday morning, burning down a cold room, chemist shop and a makeup studio, among others.
The cause of the fire incident is yet unknown.
It was also learnt that the fire service office could not render any help due to lack of diesel to move their vehicle.