A large-scale fire destroyed the Cathedral of Santa María in Wukari, Nigeria, the main temple of the diocese of the same name in Taraba State. The fire, declared on the night of March 4, reduced the building to a structure of blackened walls and twisted metal.
The fire spread in a few hours
According to The Catholic Herald, the fire began shortly after the power supply was restored in the area following a period of blackout. In a short time, the flames spread through the interior of the temple and the fire ended up consuming much of the structure.
When the fire was finally controlled, the cathedral’s roof had collapsed, the furniture had been destroyed, and the building’s interior had suffered severe damage.
The director of communications for the Diocese of Wukari, Father John Laikei, confirmed to local media the extent of the destruction. “It was a scene of total destruction, with fire everywhere. There are no roofs or furniture left standing,” he explained.
No victims despite the magnitude of the disaster
Despite the significant material damage, ecclesiastical authorities confirmed that there were no victims.
Father Laikei described the fire as a “serious setback” for the diocese and acknowledged that the clergy and faithful are still trying to come to terms with what happened.
Local authorities have initiated an investigation to determine if the return of the power supply could have caused a failure in the installation or if another factor was involved.
Lack of resources to fight the fire
The situation was aggravated by the lack of resources to respond to the fire. According to Father Laikei, there are currently no operational fire service vehicles in Wukari.
In the absence of professional equipment, neighbors and parishioners tried to contain the flames on their own, although without success.
Local media reported that numerous residents gathered around the burning building, but they were unable to prevent the fire from spreading throughout the structure.
A recently created diocese
The destruction of the cathedral has highlighted the vulnerability of some public buildings to fires in this region of Taraba State.
The Diocese of Wukari was erected in 2022 after separating from the Diocese of Jalingo, in the context of the growth of the Catholic Church in Nigeria.
Diocesan authorities have now begun the process of assessing the damage and stabilizing what remains of the building, while investigations continue to determine the causes of the fire.