NEMA, CR-SEMA Assesses Fire Incident at Atamunu

NEMA, CR-SEMA Assesses Fire Incident at Atamunu

By David Asu

The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Cross River State Emergency Management Agency (CR-SEMA) and other relevant stakeholders have conducted a joint Damage and Needs Assessment of the aftermath of a fire incident that affected residents of 21 Atamunu Street in Calabar last night.

The assessment conducted on Friday, 21 August by a joint team comprising of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), CR-SEMA, the Nigerian Red Cross Society (NRCS), the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and the Department of State Services (DSS) visited the affected area to ascertain the extent of damage and engage residents on the impact of the incident on their homes and personal belongings.

Preliminary findings from the assessment showed that the fire completely razed down the affected building, destroying household belongings and other personal property. 

While the cause of the fire could not be ascertained, no lives were lost in the incident, although the affected families suffered significant losses and were left in need of support to restore their basic living conditions.

Reacting to the incident, the Director-General of CR-SEMA, Mr. Efa Nyong, expressed sympathy to the affected families, describing the incident as unfortunate and assuring them that the Agency was concerned about their situation.

Mr. Nyong said the Agency would continue to work with relevant government institutions and humanitarian partners to identify the needs of the affected households and provide appropriate support within available resources.

He encouraged the affected residents to remain calm as the response process continues, while assuring them that their situation would not be overlooked.

The Director-General also stressed the importance of collective responsibility in responding to emergencies, noting that incidents such as fire outbreaks can have significant consequences for families whose homes and belongings are affected.

The incident comes as CR-SEMA continues to coordinate with relevant agencies and partners in responding to emergencies and supporting communities affected by disasters across Cross River State.