Properties worth millions of naira were destroyed in a fire outbreak that emanated from a female hostel at the Ignatius Ajuru University of Education in Port Harcourt, Rivers State on Sunday evening.

The incident, caused by a cooking stove fire that caught up with a gas being used by another student, led to an explosion that caused panic among students in the entire hostel environment.

According to a student of the school, the fire started just before nightfall on Sunday from a kerosene stove used by a student to cook in her room.

She said the fire spread rapidly when another female student nearby was cooking with gas, resulting in an explosion and causing pandemonium.

It was learnt that although no lives were lost, many personal belongings and properties of female students were destroyed in the fire.

The Vice-Chancellor of the University, Prof. Okey Onochukwu, confirmed that fire services from the Nigerian Navy and the Federal Fire Service arrived promptly and were able to extinguish the fire.(Daily Trust)