The Nation Newspaper

Tag: fire razes

  • Fire razes general hospital’s store

    Fire razes general hospital’s store

    Fire yesterday swept through the store of Isolo General Hospital in Lagos, destroying property with millions of naira.

    The inferno was said to have been caused by power surge following the restoration of light around 7am.

    An eyewitness Kabiru Adeleye, told The Nation that residents trooped out to put out the fire before fire fighters arrived.

    He said: “The fire was sudden. Although, we didn’t have light in the area since Wednesday, they restored the light very early this morning (yesterday). Suddenly we heard shouts of fire in the hospital. We rushed with the area boys into the hospital and we saw that it was a big store that was gutted by fire. We saw some burnt wires close to the store which shows that there must have been a spark. As big as the store is, the fire burnt the whole building, nothing was brought out.

    “We made use of the fire extinguishers in the hospital which helped to an extent. Men from the fire service later came to contain the inferno. We thank God there was no casualty. It was only the things kept in the store that were burnt.”

    The hospital’s Public Relations Officer, who simply gave her name as Mrs Mordi told our reporter that she is not authorised to talk to the press.

    She said: “In civil service, we do not give out information to the media. I am not in position to provide any information. If you want to get the details of the fire you can go to the Ministry of Health in Alausa.”

    Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) General Manager Michael Akindele said: “We received a distress call around 7.50am. This prompted the agency to activate its emergency response team and other stakeholders which include the Lagos State Fire Service and the Nigerian Police Force to the scene.

  • Seven schoolgirls die in hostel fire

    Seven schoolgirls die in hostel fire

    Seven pupils died on Sunday night when a “mysterious” fire razed the Government Girls’ Secondary School (GGSS) at Jogana, Gezawa Local Government Area of Kano State.

    The fire, according to an eyewitness, started at 8.10pm, when the pupils were preparing to go to bed.

    A security man, who pleaded not to be named, said: “…The school was in darkness because there was no power supply. The pupils had taken their dinner and were preparing to retire to bed when we heard the girls screaming from Alhaji Sani Yaro Ahmed Hostel.

    “We thought they were being attacked by rapists. But we saw thick smoke coming out of the hostel. As we rushed to the place, there was stampede: the pupils struggled to escape from the fire.”

    It was learnt that the casualty figure was high because the pupils rushed through a narrow gate, which caused the stampede.

    The eyewitness confided that the death of the seven pupils was as a result of a stampede that ensued when they were struggling to escape from the narrow gate of the hostel when the fire engulfed the hostel.

    Our reporter, who visited the school yesterday, observed that the Alhaji Sani Yaro Ahmed Hostel, the largest of the 13 in the school, was reduced to rubble.

    The eight apartments, housing over 200 pupils, was also razed.

    The headteacher, Hajia Khadijat J. Gambo, was speechless.

    When our reporter sought her comment on the incident, she said: “You can see it all. I am a sad woman. I have managed to file my reports to the appropriate authorities and I have been instructed not to speak.”

    As at the time of filing this report, the school management had handed over the bodies of the dead to their parents.

    Kano State Deputy Governor Hafiz Abubakar, who doubles as commissioner for Education, described the incident as mysterious.

    He confirmed the death of the seven pupils, adding that the government would pay the bills of the injured, who are getting treatment at government hospitals.

    Abubakar, who read the welcome address during the inauguration of State and Local Government Education Promotion Committees at the Coronation Hall of the Government House, told the gathering about the incident.

    He said: “This event is holding because it has already been planned. There was a fire at the GGSS, Jogana. Seven girls died and 25 others were injured. We pray for the repose of their souls and quick recovery of the injured.”

    The deputy governor said the incident occurred at 8:30pm on Sunday, adding: “…The cause of the fire is yet to be ascertained; it remains mysterious.”

    Police Commissioner Mohammed Musa Katsina also visited the school.

    Addressing reporters on the incident, Katsina said: “You are aware it was a fatal fire, which led to the death of seven pupils. Many others were injured. I am moved and I stand in solidarity with the people of the state in this moment of grief. I console the state government, parents of these pupils and other people of Kano. May Allah give us the fortitude to bear the irreparable loss.”

    It was learnt that the school, which was established 40 years ago, has experienced three “mysterious” fire incidents.

     

     

  • Fire razes market in Warri

    Goods worth several millions of naira were yesterday destroyed by an early morning fire at Pesu market in Warri, Delta State.

    Yesterday’s fire incident happened barely 10 months after a similar tragedy.

    Although the cause of the fire was yet to be confirmed, various sources around the market, including some of the victims, blamed the fire on electrical fault.

    Sources in the market also told The Nation that inflammable materials, such as petroleum products and alcohol, stored in the shops by some of the shop owners contributed to the fire.

    The fire was eventually put out by men of the Fire Service Department of the Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC), who were invited to help battle the inferno.

    Speaking on the fire, Mr Stephen Pessu, a former Chairman of the environment committee of the market, told newsmen that goods lost to the fire included thousands of bags of cement, motor spare parts, assorted drinks, hundreds of cartons of fish and several other food items.

    ‘’ We suspect that the cause is a spark in the electricity or a bridge in the wires. The fire destroyed many items. We plead with the state government to help us rebuild the stores for the traders that have lost everything in the fire,’’ he said.

    One Mrs. Jane Okimigi, the leader of the Ilaje Women Association, said she was not able to rescue any of her wares from the fire.

    ‘’Everything was burnt to ashes, and right now, I feel very bad, confused and I don’t know what to do. We will appreciate if the government can help us rebuild this place and assist us in getting back on our feet,’’ she said.

    Another victim, simply identified as ‘mama PP’, was said to have collapsed after she learnt that her goods, said to have been brought into the market a day before the fire and stored in 14 stores in the market were all destroyed.

  • Millions gone as fire razes Gamboru Market in Maiduguri

    Millions gone as fire razes Gamboru Market in Maiduguri

    Goods worth millions of naira were destroyed yesterday when fire razed a section of Gamboru Market in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital.

    Some traders in the market told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the fire started at 3 am when there was nobody in the market.

    Malam Mohammed Ibrahim, a leader in the market, said he noticed thick smoke at the market during early morning prayers around 5am.

    He said: “We were at the mosque praying when we saw thick smoke coming from the market.

    “But we could not get to the market due to the prevailing curfew in the state,” he said.

    He added that when the traders eventually got to the market in the morning, they discovered that the fire destroyed several shops and goods worth millions of naira.

    “Nobody can say specifically the source of the fire, but some traders leaving nearby said it started around 3 am,” Ibrahim said.

    Another trader, Malam Usman Kachalla, urged  the state government to come assist the government in rebuilding their shops.

    A NAN correspondent, who visited the market yesterday, reports that many traders were salvaging remains of their wares, while others stood by and lamented the situation.

    The market was gutted by fire in 2009 and 2011.

  • Fire razes 120 shops in Lagos market

    Fire razes 120 shops in Lagos market

    It was a bad Sunday for traders at the popular Daleko Market in Isolo, a Lagos surburb, yesterday. An early morning fire razed over 120 shops and destroyed goods worth millions of naira.

    Many others shops were partially torched. The inferno was said to have been sparked by an electrical surge.

    No casualty was recorded as men of the Lagos State Fire Service arrived promptly for rescue operations.

    When The Nation visited the market, fire fighters and other emergency rescue agencies had cordoned off the affected areas. Traders were seen moving the charred remains of their wares to neighbouring streets, causing gridlock on the road.

    Those who could not rescue their goods stood speechless. Many others bemoaned their losses in the midst of sympathisers.

    The market’s Assistant Leader, Alhaja Sidikatu Amori, who claimed the fire was caused by high electrical voltage, said goods worth over N100 million were destroyed.

    “Just last week, two truck-loads of rice were brought in here. We sell yam, palm-oil, rice and vegetable oil, among others in large quantities. Most of these items were gone in the fire. We lost over N100 million goods to the fire. But we must thank men of the state fire service for responding to our distress call in good time. But for them, we wouldn’t have salvaged anything.”

    The Director, Fire Service, Rasaq Fadipe, who said his men were not overwhelmed, confirmed that about 120 shops were destroyed.

    He said: “We are battling with the outbreak and 120 open shops, selling palm oil and vegetable oil, were consumed by the fire. Fire fighting operation is still on, but we are fully in control. We responded with three fire trucks of 1000 litres of water each from Isolo, Ilupeju and Ikeja. The incident was caused by power surge. There is need for total overhauling of electrical wiring system in Lagos markets.”

  • Fire razes shop in Akwa Ibom

    There was a fire yesterday at a shop, Kingstech Electronic Warehouse, located at 100 Oron Road, Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State capital.

    Goods worth millions of naira were destroyed in the fire, which started around 3:30pm.

    At the time of this report, the State Fire Service was still working to put out the fire.

    The cause of the fire could not be ascertained. Sympathisers blocked one side of the road, watching fire fighters trying to put out the fire.

    Some residents of the adjoining buildings were seen packing their property.

    An eyewitness said: “We don’t know the cause of the fire. The owner of the building has not connected it.”

  • Fire razes petrol station in Osun

    A petrol station and a storey building in Ila-Orangun, Osun State were razed by fire at the weekend.

    It was learnt that a tanker was dispensing petrol at Jaye Filling Station when the fire started.

    Passersby put out the fire before men of the State Fire Service arrived from Okuku.

    The timely evacuation of a kerosene-filled tanker parked near the scene prevented the situation from escalating.

    Many drivers, who were waiting to buy fuel at the station, hurriedly drove out of the premises, but a bus was burnt.

    The station’s manager, Mr. Akeem Jaye, said the fire was caused by harmattan.

  • Mystery fire razes Odutola’s Ije-Ode building

    A two-storey building, owned by the first President of the Nigeria Manufacturing Association (NMA) and industrialist, late Adeola Odutola, located on Folagbade street, Ijebu – Ode, yesterday went up in flames following a mystery fire that broke out at the second floor of the building.

    Office equipment, documents and others valuables were destroyed.

    The building, lying adjacent to the GTBank, houses many offices, including Pool Betting office and internet cafe among others.

    It is not yet clear what caused the fire, but unofficial source said faulty electrical appliance in one of the offices, helped by the harmattan haze, led to the fire, quickly spread to other parts of the building.

    As at 5:30pm yesterday, operatives of the Ogun State Fire Service, Ijebu – Ode Station, were battling to contain the blaze, but had to temporary suspend action to refill their firing machine when it ran out of water.

  • Fire razes Kwara Poly offices, FUT Minna Radio

    A midnight fire yesterday destroyed some offices of the Kwara State Polytechnic, Ilorin, the Kwara State capital.

    Another fire yesterday destroyed a studio of the radio station of the Federal University of Technology (FUT), Minna.

    The station, Search FM, won the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN’s) 2012 Campus Station of the Year.

    The fire reportedly started about 12.30am and destroyed equipment worth over N50 million.

    But there was no casualty in the incident.

    The cause of the polytechnic fire, which reportedly occurred around 1.30am, was unknown.

    The fire was said to have gutted five rooms in the offices of the Directorate of Student Services.

    The Rector, Mas’ud Elelu, told reporters that the incident would not affect next week’s first semester examinations.

    He said: “The examinations will start next week. Normal activities are ongoing. We want to express our appreciation to the students. They assisted us a great deal in putting out the fire. We are writing them to show our appreciation. We have also informed the necessary authorities. We do not know the cause of the fire but we are investigating. The council is meeting tomorrow and we will thoroughly investigate it to prevent a recurrence.

    “We called the fire fighters and they were there with our principal officers. We brought the fire under control before it spread to other academic areas.

    “Some files were destroyed with documents in the file cabinets and some air conditioners.

    “We cannot quantify the loss. There was not loss of lives or injury. Nothing happened to anybody on the campus. I was there all through.”

    FUT Vice-Chancellor, Prof Musibau Akanji, broke the news of the fire when he visited Niger State Governor Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu.

    The Vice-Chancellor said the fire razed the studio of the two-year-old radio station located in the library complex at Gidan Kwano campus.

    He, however, said the fire did not extend to any other part of the building.

    Aliyu promised that the government would build a new studio for the university.

     

  • Artefacts, residential apartments gone as fire razes Alaafin’s palace

    Artefacts, residential apartments gone as fire razes Alaafin’s palace

    A SECTION of the palace of the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Olayiwola Adeyemi III, was razed early yesterday.

    The dawn inferno, which was said to have started around 6am ravaged properties worth millions of naira.

    Twenty-one rooms, including Ile-ifa and Ile-ori (historical sites), as well as residential apartments belonging to the Oloris – the Oba’s wives.

    The monarch’s Media Assistant, Alhaji Azeez Fehintola, said the rooms and some apartments with artefacts were affected by the inferno which he blamed on power surge.

    According to him, three apartments belonging to the Alaafin’s wives were also affected, adding that they lost virtually all their valuables to the fire.

    “Also affected were the Ile Ori (inner head sacred room), Ile Ifa (Ifa shrine) with artefacts in them,” he said.

    Fehintola, however, confirmed that no life was lost in the incident.

    “The extent of damage by the fire goes beyond my imagination.

    “Immediately I got here and saw the extent of the damage done to the palace this early morning, I could not but break down in tears.

    “The fire, which broke out due to electrical surge, started around 6am and was contained after about three hours.

    “The fire fighters came at some minutes past seven and battled it till it was finally put out. Every part of the affected apartments was completely razed.

    “It was a really sad day for the ayabas (monarch’s wives) because many of their valuables were destroyed.

    “They keep their money in the palace; plasma television, jewellery, clothes, bags and many other valuables yet to be ascertained are gone.”

    The Oyo Zonal Commander, Oyo State Fire Service, Mr. Munirudeen Olalekan Abidogun, who led a team of fire fighters to put out the fire, said his station promptly responded to a distress call it got at about 6.47am.

    According to Abidogun, “it took a lot of time before the fire could be put out due to architectural designs of the palace, as the buildings within were joined together”.

    “After the first water tanker was exhausted, they had to send for another water tanker from their nearby office, before the fire could be finally put out. It was indeed a serious fire incident.”

    Governor Abiola Ajimobi was among the early birds, who paid sympathy visits to the monarch.

    Others include the Chairman of the Oyo State House Assembly Committee on Local Governments and Chieftaincy Matters, Mr. Femi Adelakun and his counterpart for Works, Mr. Waliu Adekunle.

    The governor lamented the fire that wreaked havoc on the palace destroyed artefacts, ornaments and traditional relics of the people of Yorubaland.

    Said the governor: “It is in our own definition a disaster, moreso, having gone round the whole palace on inspection of the damage. The fire torched virtually everywhere and it was very devastating. It consumed virtually everything, including traditional attires, ornaments.”

    Charging fire fighters to be more dedicated and effective in their operations, Ajimobi said the effect could have been minimised if urgent attention had been brought to the raging fire.

    “The lesson here is that, one, our fire support services should be more efficient. Second, the reactions of the Kabiyesi and the entire family were very commendable and immediate. That they were able to put out the fire is commendable.”

    The governor said that from the assessment he had carried out on the burnt palace, the damage to the palace was irreparable and colossal.

    Ajimobi however promised to assist the monarch in the reconstruction of the palace, stating that as a foremost monarch and a great friend of the administration, government could not but support the Oba because in doing so, government was supporting Yorubaland.

    “As a government, we are going to support the Kabiyesi and the Kabiyesi, as you know, has been at the forefront of support for the present administration,” the governor said.