By Steve Oko
UMUAHIA – Abia State Governor Alex Otti has ordered an investigation into the cause of the fire outbreak that gulped the second floor of a two-storey building located at 73 Lagos Street, Off Ngwa Road, Aba.
Although no life was lost, the inferno which occurred Tuesday night, destroyed property worth millions of naira.
The governor, who paid an unscheduled visit to the scene of the incident yesterday, also ordered an investigation into the alleged inaccessibility of Aba firefighters.
This is as he stressed the need for every household in the state to have a fire extinguisher for prompt response in the eventuality of any fire outbreak.
Gov. Otti said that henceforth, “there is going to be enforcement of compulsory fire extinguishers in all households.”
Otti who described the incident as “sad and unfortunate”, promised Government assistance to the victims.
The Governor who thanked God that no life was lost in the inferno, said his administration would not hesitate to identify with the plight of the people.
He directed the Senior Special Assistant on Homeland Security to launch an investigation into the incident with the view to ascertaining the cause of the inferno.
Otti said: “It’s quite unfortunate. Investigation will be conducted to determine the cause of the inferno. Whether it’s a natural occurrence of some sort or an act of carelessness.
“What we have to learn is that everyone should have fire extinguisher. If you had fire extinguisher, you would have been able to put off the fire.
“It’s quite unfortunate that the fire service could not come on time. Normally they arrive within 10 minutes, I’m surprised by the way this one turned out.
“I have directed them to do a thorough investigation to ascertain why the phone numbers of fire service officers were switched off during the fire outbreak.
“They are not supposed to put off their phone. It’s really sad that it happened. The destruction is really unfortunate, but since it has happened, there is nothing anybody can do about it.
” I need to get a report about the fire service officers and why their phones were put off and this whole place burnt down completely.
“We spent a lot of money to equip them – buying them vehicles. In the past, they have responded very quickly and effectively, but unfortunately, this one, they didn’t,” Otti regretted.
Narrating their ordeals, the Landlord of the building, Mr Vincent Uzuegbu, his family and a tenant in the building, Mr. Obinna Obi and his wife, said that they were asleep when the fire incident started.
They said that they had gone to sleep on that Tuesday night when they heard some uproar. Upon opening the door, they saw the whole place covered with smoke and fire, they tried to get something out but could not.
The victims, who could not identify the cause of the fire outbreak, said that they lost everything and appealed to the State Government to come to their aid.
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