Fire razes Calabar SPAR mall, destroying millions in property

A fire outbreak ravaged sections of the SPAR shopping mall in Calabar, Cross River State, on Saturday morning, causing significant property damage. The blaze reportedly began in the early hours, prompting an urgent response from firefighters and a scramble by shoppers and traders to salvage their goods.

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As I speak right now, millions of properties have been damaged.

Content creator "Dr Laff" documented the scene, sharing videos on Facebook that showed thick smoke billowing from the mall as individuals rushed to move cartons and other items to safety. "As I speak right now, millions of properties have been damaged," he stated in one video, expressing deep distress over the destruction of a major shopping center in the state.

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I feel very terrible myself because this is a major shopping mall we have in Cross River State. Look at these shops, all the properties are burnt down. This is really sad.

Security personnel and emergency services cordoned off the area as firefighters worked to contain the flames. Flames were visible inside shops, accompanied by the sounds of people lamenting the loss. A police spokesperson, Sunday Eitokpah, indicated that a possible electrical fault is suspected as the cause of the fire. He confirmed that no casualties were reported and that efforts were underway to prevent looting.

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From the report reaching me, the incident started in the early hours of this morning with a lot of properties belonging to people at the SPAR Mall catching fire. Possible cause of the fire points to an electrical fault.

Further details on the extent of the damage and the total value of destroyed properties are yet to be independently verified. The police stated that more information would be provided as the situation develops.

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For now, no casualties; we are trying our best to stop possible looters from looting items belonging to other people.