A devastating fire has left a family in Benin City, Edo State, with nothing but ashes and memories. The mysterious blaze completely razed their bungalow, destroying properties worth millions of naira, including academic credentials and other precious documents.

The family, who had gone to church, received a distress call from their father, a retired police officer, who had been alerted by neighbors. By the time they arrived, their home was reduced to rubble.

READ ALSO:

N12bn loan deductions: Lenders association urges FG to act

Bullying: Stakeholders urge PTA-school collaboration

Port Harcourt refinery resumes full operations after brief scale down

Smart, one of the daughters, recounted the traumatic experience: “We were in church for our sister’s harvest thanksgiving when my father called from Port Harcourt that our house was on fire. We immediately rushed back home, but by the time we got there, everything was gone.”

The family is still trying to come to terms with the loss. Smart’s academic credentials, clothes, and personal belongings were all destroyed in the fire. The cause of the fire is still unknown, but it is suspected to have started from one of the rooms.

The family’s plight was further exacerbated by the state fire service’s refusal to respond to their distress call, citing concerns about the area being volatile.

As the family struggles to rebuild their lives, they are left to ponder the what-ifs and the uncertainty of the future. The mysterious fire has not only destroyed their home but has also taken away their sense of security and peace.