Residents of Bille Kingdom in Degema Local Government Area of Rivers State have raised concerns over what they described as a worsening environmental and safety crisis following a fire outbreak linked to persistent gas seepage and bubbling points in the area.

The latest incident occurred on Wednesday at Opu Dah Community Square in Bille Town, sending panic across the riverine community as residents scrambled to extinguish the fire and prevent further destruction.

Community members said they had observed strange environmental signs for months, including bubbling rivers, oily substances seeping from the ground and gas emissions from different parts of the kingdom.

According to residents, the phenomenon began around November last year, prompting repeated appeals to relevant authorities for urgent intervention, although they claimed their concerns received little attention.

Tension escalated when an abandoned mono pump located in Opuda compound reportedly burst into flames after emitting gas for some time.

A resident, Timothy Agunbiade, who narrated the incident, said panic spread across the area after residents heard a loud noise before the fire outbreak.

“On May 13, I was somewhere when I heard a loud noise and people were running and calling for help. Because of the noise, I ran in the direction where the noise came from. On getting there, I saw fire,” he said.

Agunbiade explained that the fire originated from one of several bubbling points that had been emitting gas in different parts of Bille Kingdom for more than six months.

He said one of the affected locations was Opuda compound, where the abandoned mono pump eventually caught fire.

“What I can confirm and personally witnessed was a serious fire coming out from the bubbling point. I do not want to speculate beyond what I saw. What I saw was a fire coming out of an old mono pump that had been abandoned for years,” he added.

The incident reportedly left residents in confusion and fear as people attempted to contain the flames to prevent a larger disaster.

Agunbiade said some residents sustained injuries during efforts to extinguish the fire. While some victims were treated for minor injuries and discharged, two others reportedly suffered severe injuries and remained under medical care.

Residents eventually put out the fire after several hours using soaked duvets, rugs and blankets.

The incident has heightened fears among residents, many of whom expressed concern over the possibility of a larger explosion or environmental disaster if urgent action is not taken.

“We still hope and pray that something worse than this does not happen anytime soon. Our community is boiling,” Agunbiade said.

Meanwhile, the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA) has reportedly taken samples from the affected area for laboratory analysis.

Community members said the outcome of the investigation was still being awaited as anxiety continued to spread across the kingdom.

Residents called on the Federal Government, environmental agencies and oil industry regulators to urgently investigate the source of the gas seepage and take immediate measures to protect lives, property and the environment in the affected communities.