Owerri — Property worth millions of Naira was, Sunday, consumed by a raging inferno that engulfed the palace of the traditional ruler of Owerri, Eze Emmanuel Emenyonu Njemanze.

Information has it that the fire was caused by power surge from public power supply, while another linked it to an internal accident.

Although no member of the immediate family could affirm or deny any of the opinions before press time, scores of sympathizers and fire service personnel battled relentlessly to put out the fire.

Vanguard gathered that apart from the two-storey building that was razed, the royal father also lost personal effects, historical artifacts, precious documents and antiquities, as well as electrical and electronic gadgets.

It was not clear if the royal father and his wife were at home when the fire started but a sympathizer who simply identified herself as Mama Ejima said the loss was colossal.

"We thank God that no life was lost but the man and his family lost precious materials. It is most unlikely that the traditional will ever boast of replacing many of the things lost in the inferno," the woman said.