Pupils unhurt as fire razes navy school hostel in Cross River

Barely 10 hours after fire engulfed buildings and shops destroying property worth millions of naira in Calabar South, another fire outbreak occurred yesterday in Navy Secondary School in Akpabuyo local government area of Cross River State.

The fire, which started at about 12noon, broke out in one of the male hostel buildings in the school. Over 200 occupants of the hostel were all saved as the students were in classrooms at the time of the incident.

The cause of the fire outbreak could not be ascertained at the time of filling this report but a source noted that it might not be unconnected with the electricity surge and fluctuations that was experienced in the school at the time.

The school commandant, O.A. Kudairi, was not disposed to any interactions with newsmen as she was seen assisting firefighters in efforts to extinguish the flames. The state fire service truck arrived about an hour after the fire broke out.

Eyewitnesses’ account disclosed that some students upon seeing the flames in their hostel had attempted to make it into the building to save their belongings but were all stopped by the school officials. It was gathered that the affected hostel, known as Blue House (Adeneye Hall), had all belongings of the over 230 students in the occupying the hostel lost to the fire.

A teacher who pleaded anonymity expressed gratitude to God that the incident did not happen at night when the students were in the hostel sleeping. It was also gathered that the school authorities had started calling parents to come for their children since they are done with examinations for the term.

However, students in JSS 3 and SSS 3 are expected to stay back for extension classes ahead of their WAEC exams.