There was shock in parts of Owerri, the Imo State capital, on Sunday night, as the Maria Assumpta Cathedral Catholic Archdiocese went up in flames.
Report had it that the fire outbreak started around 11:48pm with a section of the main church building being affected.
A Priest (craves anonymity) was quoted as saying that the inferno was caused by an electrical spark.
The clergyman reportedly said that “The fire was not that much. It was as a result an electrical fault. It started from a room in the church where most of the wire connection was done.
“Yes, it damaged so many things. You know there was no how a fire will not damage something.
“By God’s grace, the fire did not go far, with the efforts of other people, it was put off. So it’s just an electrical fault.”
Another person at the scene was quoted as saying that “When the fire started, we heard an explosion from the area. There were sparks from electrical wires and the next was the fire.
“It could be those electronic gadgets and musical instruments in that section of the church building. We thank God that it was not much. We saw it was the wrong wire connection.
“Many people came and were using water and other substances to extinguish the fire. Luckily enough, we succeeded in quenching the fire.”
