A deadly fire has destroyed a residential building on Fabikez Street in Omagba Phase 2, Onitsha North Local Government Area of Anambra State, leading to the death of a 95-year-old woman who was trapped inside the house for hours.
The incident happened on Friday evening, January 31, 2026, when the fire reportedly began in one of the apartments in the two-storey building around 5:15 pm.
The flames quickly spread to nearby apartments, causing panic among tenants and residents of the area before the fire was eventually brought under control.
Although the exact cause of the fire has not been confirmed, the inferno burned for several hours and destroyed property worth millions of naira.
Residents and passersby made efforts to reduce the damage while waiting for officials of the Anambra State Fire Service to arrive at the scene.
A resident of the building, identified as Uche, described the incident as frightening.
He explained that thick smoke and flames suddenly took over part of the building, forcing occupants to shout for help and flee in fear.
Despite efforts to rescue everyone, the elderly woman who was trapped inside the building did not survive.
The landlord of the building was unavailable for comment as of the time of reporting.
The Anambra State Fire Service later confirmed the incident in a statement issued on Saturday.
According to the service, a distress call was received at about 5:08 pm, after which firefighters and a fire truck were immediately deployed to the location.
Firefighters worked to control the blaze and stopped it from spreading to nearby buildings. The operation ended around 7:45 pm.
The fire service confirmed that one casualty was recorded, adding that investigations were still ongoing to determine what caused the fire.
Residents were also advised to remain alert and report fire incidents quickly to reduce loss of life and property.
This incident comes just days after another fire outbreak in Anambra State.
On January 27, an early-morning fire destroyed a residential building on Orumba Street in Okpoko, Ogbaru Local Government Area.
That fire affected at least 28 apartments and several shops but did not claim any lives, though residents suffered heavy losses while trying to save their belongings.
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