The Nation Newspaper

Tag: fire

  • Fire service warns against attack on its men

    Fire service warns against attack on its men

    LAGOS State Fires Service cried out yesterday over the frequent attacks on its men in line of duty, warning those involved to desist or face the law.

    The Nation learnt that more than five firemen have been attacked in various parts of the state.

    The service director, Rasak Fadipe, said the officers were attacked at Idewu Street, Olodi-Apapa, Ajegunle and Odunsi Street in Surulere.

    He described the officers as dedicated and hardworking, adding that their motive was to save lives and property.

    According to him, the gallant officers responded to distress calls and were about to carry out their statutory duties when the hoodlums who wanted to loot saw them as obstacle and started attacking, stabbing and chasing them from the fire scene.

    Fadipe explained that a senior officer was stabbed in the ear with a broken bottle; another was wounded in the head; others were manhandled.

    “In order to prevent confrontation and breakdown of law and order, the officials retreated and ran for their lives. The mayhem was reported at Tolu and Itire Police stations and it led to the damage of a fire truck,” he said.

    He hailed the Itire Divisional Police Officer (DPO) for intervening and rescuing the officers from further assault.

    The fire boss appealed to the public to desist from damaging government facilities as tax payers money were expended on providing the amenities. The consequences of unwarranted but coordinated attacks on fire trucks, he said, were an indirect denial of dividend of democracy to others as the damaged truck cannot serve the need of Lagosians.

    He assured all and sundry of the readiness of the officers to fight fires whenever call upon.

  • Before the next fire in Anambra

    To those who believe in the holy books especially the Bible, when God warns it is established and it endures for all ages. This is true of the warning reeled out by God to the Israelites in I Samuel 8: 15, 17 when they demanded for a king to rule over them like the other nations.

    He told them: “the king (symbolising government) would demand of you 10% of your resources (tax is 10% of basic salary) either for himself or his attendants.”

    That warning seems to be playing out in our contemporary society as governments of the day keep on making demands on the people and the organised private sector in form of tax and levies without corresponding returns in terms of amenities and infrastructure that can guarantee a new lease of life or even the safety/security of businesses.

    In fact in these days of global economic downturn occasioned by the slide in crude petroleum prices, every tier of government now looks inwards to shore up whatever accrues to its vault; more so as revenue from the federation account keeps shrinking by the day.

    Income and corporate tax from individuals and the corporate entities is the first option being explored by these governments in more intensity than ever before since Lord Lugard introduced taxes in the country.

    The argument has been that it is one of the means through which government can raise funds to meet its responsibility to the citizenry especially the provision of the necessary basic infrastructure that will in turn protect and ensure survival of individuals and their business concerns.

    As the government encourages the payment of these taxes and levies, it behoves on it constitutionally to seek ways to assist these individuals and the corporate organisations to grow and make sufficient profit such that payment of any tax or levy becomes less cumbersome.

    However, the reality on ground is that most governments in the country have failed in their responsibility to provide even the basic infrastructure that will ensure the sustainability of both the citizenry and the corporate entities.

    This takes me to the case of the recent fire incident that engulfed the LPG plant of a subsidiary of Chicason Group of Companies in Nnewi, Anambra State, on Christmas Eve leading to the death of eight persons who were essentially onlookers and not workers of the conglomerate.

    My concern here is not the number of casualties or the setback the fire incident has caused to the company’s production processes but the efforts by government to prevent a recurrence especially as Nnewi is the industrial epicentre of not only Anambra state but the entire South-east geographical zone housing the first indigenous auto industry in the country, Innoson Vehicle Manufacturing Company Ltd., Ibeto Group of Companies and Coscharis Group, the factory where the first fully built motorcycle in this country was rolled out, to mention just a few.

    Various government functionaries, including the Labour and Employment Minister, Dr Chris Ngige, a former governor of the state, have visited the scene of the inferno to commiserate with the company without proffering measures to invigorate fire fighting in the state.

    So far there is no hope of a better response in case of a similar incident in the future as the in-house fire-fighting capacity recommended to Chicason Group including provision of water sprinklers, sand and fire extinguishers cannot suffice in the face of industrial fires.

    For instance, it is ridiculous that ill-equipped and short-staffed Anambra State Fire Service personnel had to travel 200 kilometres on a bad road from the state capital, Awka, to Nnewi with just a tanker of water to quell a fire resulting from an explosion from a gas plant. This is the evidence that there is no federal government presence to provide the type of sophisticated equipment needed to combat such an inferno, in that part of the country.

    To add salt to injury, there are no communications gadgets to mobilise other fire stations in the vicinity as the entire organisation has just one telephone line.

    Also on ground are only 83 personnel serving the entire state and who are paid a mere N10 hazard allowance monthly approved 44 years ago working with three fire engines and one water tanker which capacity is seven tonnes of water. Worse still, reports reveal that the station is bereft of a Turn Table Fire Vehicle meant for fighting fires in a three storey building.

    The company had met its own side of the bargain in the provision of basic safety equipment and the training of its staff in fire drills at inception hence the minimal loss of lives recorded and injuries incurred among the staff.

    The Physical and Urban Planning department of Anambra State government could have taken into consideration the industrial significance of Nnewi to locate a fire station there sophisticated enough to combat industrial fires.

    The government should go beyond making mere political pronouncements and take a positive step to make the public sector more responsive to the people it claims to serve.

    In this era of change in our country, it is expected that the All Progressives Congress, APC, administration at the centre will consider, as part of its job creation programme, employment of personnel to man its fire stations apart from equipping them adequately and improving the welfare package of fire fighters across the nation.

    Also while the Willy Obiano’s administration has gone down for the giant strides it has made since coming into office, there is much more to be done in the area of fire-fighting by ensuring that an industrial town like Nnewi is adequately covered.

     

    • Okeke writes from Lagos.

  • Fire razes two buildings in Benin

    Two buildings in different parts of Benin City were on Monday razed by fire apparently cause by power surge.

    Both buildings were completely razed as men of the Edo State Fire Service prevented the fire from spreading to other buildings.

    Landlord of one of the building located at 13 Ekaladeran Street off Aerodrome Close, Ernest Aganmwonyi, said the fire was caused by power surge.

    Ernest said they tried fruitlessly to put out the fire.

    He said he was at lost where to relocate his family members to.

    Occupants of the second building located at 6 Osunde Street in Uselu quarters said they were yet to ascertain cause of the fire.

    A tenant in the house, Ekunade Irabor said the fire spread rapidly before they could get water to put out the fire.

    She said the fire started from one of the rooms.

    No life was lost in both incidents.

  • Fire razes 300 shops at Kaduna market

    Fire razes 300 shops at Kaduna market

    An early morning fire yesterday razed 300 shops at the Railway Station Market in Kaduna.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) learnt that the inferno, which started about 1am, was put out about 5 am.

    The market, which served as the main hub for fruits, grains, chicken and plastic, was reduced to a smouldering heap, with virtually everything burnt.

    Shop owners and their families were seen in distress, some wailing due to the magnitude of their losses.

    The Chairman of the market traders association, Ibrahim Musa, said over N200 million worth of goods were lost.

    “The fire started from an electricity spark in one of the containers. We heard explosions.”

    Musa said the association was compiling a list of victims.

    Head of the market security Danladi Rabiu said although fighters from the state office and Nigeria Breweries responded early to the distress call, their efforts were minimal in containing the fire.

    “Men of the state fire service came on time, but they were unable to put out the fire, as their truck developed a fault. We had to use buckets to put out the fire.”

    Mohammed Sani, a phone accessory seller, said he lost over N800, 000 worth of phones.

    “I got a distress call about 3 am, but before I got to the market, I had lost everything.”

    Ikenna Mani said his wife lost N200, 000 worth of grains, adding that she was the bread winner since he lost his job.

    Jummai Alkali, a widow, said she lost N3 million worth of grains, adding: “Everything was lost. I have nowhere else to fend for my children.”

    Ibrahim Abdulahi, a shop owner, said: “We cannot estimate the level of damage caused by the fire.”

    He implored emergency relief agencies and Nigerians to assist them. An official of the state fire service confirmed that their vehicle broke down despite responding to the emergency in time.

  • Fire razes building in Mushin

    Fire razes building in Mushin

    Residents of 14 Anipele Street, Olorunsogo in Mushin, Lagos, yesterday, were thrown into chaos as their house went in flames.

    It was gathered that most of the occupants of the one-storey building had gone for their daily activities when the incident happened.

    The fire, The Nation learnt, was caused by electric sparks.

    An eyewitness, simply called Kola, said there was a loud noise when the Ikeja Electric Distribution Company (IKEDC) brought light.

    “It was around 4pm they brought the light; the next thing we saw was fire on the roof. We called the fire fighters but before they got to the scene, the building was gone. I am glad the first floor were not occupied by tenants if not they would have been counting their loss,” he said.

    An occupant, Bisola Alabi, said since the demise of the landlord, they haven’t put the place on rent, adding: “The landlord’s children just have their monthly meeting on the first floor. They don’t live here. Just few occupants downstairs will need to worry over new accommodation.”

    A resident, who pleaded anonymity, disclosed that no property was lost to the fire.

    He said: “I did not lose any property, but can’t stay here again because it may collapse any moment from now. My children just returned from school to meet this. We don’t know where to move to”.

  • Fire guts Abuja NNPC mega station

    Fire guts Abuja NNPC mega station

    The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) mega station at the Central Business District in Abuja has been gutted by fire.

    A member of staff at the mega station who preferred anonymity told the News agency of Nigeria(NAN) on Monday that the fire started around 10 p.m. ‎when a tanker was discharging fuel to the tanks of the petrol station.

    The source said that no casualty nor injury was‎ recorded but noted that some sections of the filling station were affected by the inferno.

    It added that the fact that it was weekend and late in the evening, reduced the risk of casualties and significant damage.

    He said that officers and men of the Federal Fire Service Abuja were on hand to tackle the fire and helped in preventing it from spreading to neighbouring buildings.

    Some eye witnesses confirmed that the prompt response of the fire service helped the situation.

    Yarima sani, an eye witness, said, “I was driving close with the intention to fill up my tank when we were asked to use a different road that there was fire at the station.

    “I parked and trekked and I saw the fire service people were already there helping to quench the fire,” he said.

    He added that some security men helped in controlling traffic.

    Commenting on the situation, Mr. Collins Elechi, Public Relations Officer, Federal Fire Service Abuja, confirmed the incident to NAN.

    He said that the fire started around 9.28 p.m. while a tanker was discharging product. He said the service received a distress call immediately and quickly deployed its men to the scene.

    “Our fire fighters responded immediately to the fire outbreak on Sunday at the mega station.

    “The quick intervention limited the loss to the vehicles alone.

    “It could have been more devastating if it had happened in the day time, especially afternoon, “he said.

    He called on filling stations to be cautious while discharging petroleum products.

     

  • Fire razes train, Samsung showroom, fibre firm

    Fire razes train, Samsung showroom, fibre firm

    Fire swept through some parts of Lagos yesterday, razing a train at the Ebute Meta terminus.

    It was gathered that the train was under repair and the cause of the fire, which started around 12.39pm was unknown.

    Fire also gutted a Samsung Showroom on 17 Allen Avenue, Ikeja, Lagos and Akwill Fibre Company on 28, Nelson Cole Street off Iju Road, Lagos.

    The Samsung inferno affected the ground floor of a storey building.

    Director, Lagos State Fire Service Razaq Fadipe said the place was smoke filled and his men could not access it.

    “We cut the iron bars and burglar proof before we entered. We also made use of a self-contain breathing apparatus because the place was smoke logged and there was no way we could enter freely. Most of the electrical appliances went with the fire. Ilupeju, Alausa, Ikeja and Isolo responded to the fire,” he said.

    The fibre company fire, it was gathered, was caused by a burning bush beside the company.

    Fadipe quoted a worker as saying that the firm uses coconut shell for production.

    The emergency responders led by the fire service, Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), Police, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) responded.

    LASEMA General Manager Michael Akindele said fire officers contained the fire before it could spread to other buildings in the area. “There was no casualty but properties worth millions of naira were destroyed. It was alleged that the Samsung fire was as a result of power surge. “

  • Fire destroys 52 shops in Ibadan, Ado-Ekiti markets

    Fire destroys 52 shops in Ibadan, Ado-Ekiti markets

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    • Traders in agony as fire razes 12 shops in Ado-Ekiti

    GOODS worth millions of naira were destroyed in an inferno which ravaged over 40 shops at the Sanyo community market in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, yesterday.

    It was learnt that firemen from the State Fire Service put out the fire, which began at 1am yesterday, at 3am.

    The traders, who spoke with The Nation, said the fire started at midnight when power was restored by the Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company.

    The fire destroyed over 40 shops, which constitute about 98 per cent of the market.

    The affected traders called on well- meaning individuals and the government to come and assist them.

    They lauded the State Fire Service for coming to their rescue.

    An affected trader, Ade Olaoye, who sells provisions and liquor, said only two shops were not affected; he put his loss at close to N1 million.

    He revealed that the fire started as a result of power surge, which affected a refrigerator inside one of the affected shops.

    Another victim, Mrs Kehinde Olatunji, who sells liquor and frozen foods, said items such as frozen foods, gold chains, wrist watches, drinks and food items were destroyed. She appealed to the government to come to their aid.

    Another trader, who simply gave his name as Elder John, said this would be the second time he would be a victim as he put his loss at N650,000.

    “Two years ago, there was a similar fire and I suffered a loss. I just stocked my shop and see me now,” he lamented.

    It was a sad tale for many of the traders who got to know of the incident late as hoodlums already vandalised and stolen their goods before they got to the market.

    Also in Ado-Ekiti, the Ekiti State capital, not less than 12 shops were razed in a shopping complex with goods valued at millions of Naira gone.

    A shopping complex located near the popular Ile Abiye Hospital on Ilawe Road was gutted by fire at 1.20 pm with much damage done before firemen got to the scene.

    Agrochemicals, textile, cooking utensils, animal feeds, saloon, stationery store, computer centre, among others.

    Besides the firefighters, officials of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and the police were on ground to carry out rescue operation.

    One of the victims, Mrs. Oluwatoyin Genge, claimed that some unidentified individuals were burning bush inside Ile Abiye, which spread into the complex.

    Mrs. Genge said: “Some people were burning bush and refuse inside Ile Abiye and it spread to the complex here. I don’t know where to start again but I want the government to assist us.”

    Another victim, Chukwuemeka Damike, said: “I went to town to buy something and some people called me shouting Fire! Fire!! I ran back only to discover that my shop has been burnt.

    “The shop is finished, I have nothing else, even one Naira is not in my pocket again.”

    Oluwabanke Ojo, an expectant mother, lamented the huge loss incurred in the blaze. According to her, she is a graduate who took to trading after looking for jobs without success for six years.

    Ekiti NEMA Head of Operations, Saheed Akiode, said the agency contacted the Fire Service after receiving a distress call.

  • Fire destroys timber market in Benin

    An early morning fire outbreak has destroyed parts of the `Pipeline Timber Market’ in Benin, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports.

    An eyewitness, Mr. Precious Emmanuel, told NAN in Benin that the fire started at about 3 a.m., adding that the prompt response of the fire service helped to save some parts of the market.

    “We woke up to see that the market was on fire. We believe that the fire was caused by those boys who smoke Indian hemp in the market.

    “The intervention of the state fire service saved the situation. They responded quickly to the distress call put across to them,’’ Emmanuel said.

    Meanwhile, the Chairman of the Pipeline Timber Market, Mr. Osaremen Monday, told NAN that the source of the fire was still unknown.

    According to Monday, timber and machines worth millions of naira were destroyed in the fire.

    He appealed to the state government to assist those whose shops were affected, stressing that the market was their only source of livelihood.

    Some of the affected traders, Mr. Emmanuel Nwadiwe and Mrs Josephine Okotoe, said they lost over N5 million in the inferno.

    In his comments, the state’s Director of Fire Service, Mr. Frankly Agbolahor, described the incident as sad, adding however, that the timely intervention of his men saved the day.

    “When we got the distress call, our men immediately mobilised to the scene of the fire and put out the fire,” Agbolahor said.

     

  • Three arrested as fire guts water firm

    Three arrested as fire guts water firm

    A two-storey building went up in flames yesterday on Ayuba Daudu in Ilasamaja in Mushin Local Government Area of Lagos State, leaving four flats razed.

    Part of the building housed Lamee Ventures, maker of Skord bottle and sachet water.

    Residents of two of the flats could not salvage anything.

    Some residents said the fire started few minutes past 2pm from an apartment.

    A resident said: “I learnt somebody was cooking with gas in one of the apartments, the gas exploded and it caught fire,” he said.

    A worker in the water firm was said to have run out of the toilet on sighting the raging fire.

    “He couldn’t wait to clean himself up before storming out of the toilet. He did not even wear his trousers; it was somebody that gave him trousers after his escape from the fire,” the resident said amid laughter by sympathisers.

    The Ojuelegba unit of the Federal Fire Service raced to the scene to quell the fire.

    Occupants of houses on both sides of the building seen rushed out in fear.

    Some assisted other sympathisers to put out the fire before the fire fighters’ arrival.

    A woman threw packs of sachet water to them to fight the fire.

    In the melee, three persons were arrested for stealing from the building.

    An eyewitness, Adeola Olawale, said the hoodlums pretended to be helping to fight the fire.

    “They went into one of the rooms while many were trying to put out the fire to steal some items. Some of the things found on them include jewellery, wrist watch, handsets among others. Somebody raised the alarm before the mob pounced on them. They were handed over to policemen, who came to the scene with Mushin Local Government Executive Secretary,” he said.

    Another eyewitness, Miftau Otaru told The Nation that occupants of his building rushed out to assist in putting out the fire.

    According to Otaru, a Laboratory Scientist, “There was no electricity as at the time it started, so you can’t say its electrical surge. We just hear fire! Fire!! Fire!!! And we all ran out. The boys in this area really tried to ensure no casualty; they assist in getting the people in one of the apartments behind out of danger,” he said.

    Aloysius Ukwuani, Head Officer of Federal Fire Service praised the residents for clearing the way for their vehicles to reach the building.

    “They called. We responded very quickly because the person that informed us came with a bike and we followed them immediately. We were able to contain the fire.

    We have no idea what the cause may be. The crowd was very cooperative. People should be fire conscious. Assuming they had the right equipment, they would have quenched it,” he said.

    Igbehin-Adun Community Development Association (CDA) chairman Chief Oladele Dasaolu said some residents came out to put  out the fire when it started.

    He said: “The only unfortunate thing was the boys that came to steal. The policemen have taken the three of them away.  We tell residents from time to time to be wary of things that can lead to fire. Also, those who park their vehicles on the streets are ought to be careful because of situations like this so as to have a thorough fare for the fire fighters’ vehicles. That is the problem we have to address.”

    Mushin Local Government Execuitive Secretary Jide Bello urged residents to always check home appliances before going out.

    “As the council boss, I am always on ground and my people are always around me which is part of my responsibilities. I wouldn’t know the cause. I called both the federal and state fire services. Their responses were prompt. Residents did their best to put out the fire. Even if you look at the back, there is a woman who was bringing out sachet water packs; she gave them to people to quench the fire. People should be fire conscious. They should always check their electrical appliances before they leave their houses,” he said.