The Nation Newspaper

Tag: fire

  • Another pipeline fire rages in Arepo

    There was fire outbreak in Arepo, Ogun State, yesterday following another attack oil pipelines by suspected vandals.

    No fewer than 30 persons were reportedly killed in a similar fire at the place on January 12.

    The fire started after a gun battle between the vandals and officials of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).

    The vandals, it was gathered, blew the pipeline in anger with dynamite, after being dislodged at Magboro, near Arepo by the Civil Defence men.

    The Corps Public Relations Officer, Mr Kareem Olanrewaju, said the command was yet to establish if it was the same group his men engaged in a gun fight at Arepo.

    Olanrewaju said NSCDC officials had been deployed in the area since the January 12 incident, adding that they arrested some suspects and seized many items.

    He pledged to mobilise more armed personnel to the trouble area.

    The Acting Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs Division of the NNPC, Tumini Green, in a statement yesterday, confirmed the raging inferno said the vicious break caused a fierce inferno which has been raging since yesterday’s morning.

    She said: “We are unhappy that barely one week after the Group Managing Director of the NNPC, Engr. Andrew Yakubu paid a working visit to the scene of the last fire and pumping of products resumed afterwards, we are back to the same situation. It is so sad indeed, however, as a Corporation, we are determined to ensure unimpeded flow of petroleum products no matter the odds.”

    She stated that fire trucks and engineers from the Pipelines and Products Marketing Company, (PPMC), are already on ground in Arepo to put out the raging fire and commence repair work once the fire is extinguished.

     

    Also, yesterday, suspected vandals and some Civil Defence officials enaged in a gun battle at Iperu/Ogere. Olanrewaju said his men, who were injured, have been taken to the hospital.

  • Fire razes 50 shops in Ibadan

    Fire razes 50 shops in Ibadan

    No fewer than 50 shops were razed at the building materials section of Ogunpa market, Ibadan, on Wednesday evening.

    Eyewitnesses said the fire started around 7.30pm and raged for hours, destroying about 50 shops and the wares therein.

    The fire, according to them, was ignited by a loud explosion from one of the shops within the clustered area.

    It is believed that the fire started from some of the shops where wares such as gun powder and other combustible items are sold.

    Though the fire was put out by fire fighters last night, the burning continued slowly till Thursday afternoon when fire fighters were recalled to tackle the remnant.

    The Commissioner for Environment, Mr. Lowo Obisesan, conveyed Governor Abiola Ajimobi’s sympathy to the victims.

    His aide, Mr. Muyiwa Olaore, who represented him during the visit to the market on Thursday, said that government has barred further trading in the disaster area until renovation is completed.

    The reason, he explained, was to prevent a situation where the weak buildings would collapse on the traders.

    Victims cried uncontrollably, lamenting their huge loss in the inferno.

    One of the victims, Ibraheem Iyiola, said that he lost about N2 million to the fire.

    He said: “We had closed for the day around 6pm. It was almost 8pm when a friend called to inform me of the incident. But before I could get here about an hour later, it was too late to save anything. The fire had caught the ceiling and it fell on my wares. I could not save anything.”

     

  • Fire in Alaafin’s palace

    Fire in Alaafin’s palace

    The recent fire in the Alaafin’s palace presumably caused by electric power surge is a great tragedy for Yoruba people. This is because several historical artifacts, records and beaded crowns have been lost and cannot be recovered or replaced. The Palace of the Alaafin is a monument to Yoruba people because of the role the Alaafin institution has played in the history and culture of the Yoruba people. The institution of the Alaafin is about a thousand years old. Over this period, this institution has served as a repository of Yoruba history and culture. There are very few dynasties in the world that are older than that of the Alaafin. When the remains of such an institution is threatened by fire, there is need to look at how archival and historical materials are collected and preserved for the edification of the past and education of the present and future. From around the 12th to the 19th century, the old Oyo Empire existed with the sister Empire of the Benin to the East and the kingdom of the Nupe to the North and the subject nationality of Dahomey to the West. The reach of the empire extended to present day Togo and possibly eastern part of Ghana incorporating the Ga, the Ewe, and other Aja speaking people west and south-west of Metropolitan Oyo. At the height of its glory, the Oyo Empire was arguably the biggest and most sophisticated empire straddling the Savannah and the forest regions of West Africa. Of course by the time the British and French came to West Africa during the 19th century, this empire was in decline but later continued in a new form with the Ibadan forces dominating most of Yorubaland under the flag of the Alaafin. This is a period which a senior colleague of mine has described as Ibadan Imperialism in the 19th century.

    This preamble is necessary for our people to know the place of Oyo in the political history of Yoruba land. Oyo and Ife played different roles in Yoruba history. Ife is the spiritual home of all Yorubas. This is the place where, according to the myth of origin of the Yoruba, life started (Ife ode aye) and where the dispersal of Yoruba princes that established kingdoms all over Yorubaland and Benin took place. There is therefore no clash between the roles of Oyo and Ife in Yoruba history. European writers have sometimes suggested that the position of the Oni vis-à-vis that of the Alaafin is like that of the Pope and the Emperor in medieval Europe. This description may not be totally apt but it captures the essence of Oyo- Ife relations. In other words, the role of Ife and Oyo are distinct and also complementary. Unfortunately in recent times, this has not always been so because politicians have succeeded in knocking the crown heads of Ife and Oyo against each other.

    A people without a history are not complete. Historical and ancestral background are very important for any people and this is why civilized countries all over the world spend a lot of money and make effort to preserve as much as possible the past in the present. This is why museums are built, palaces are maintained, archives are preserved and past dynasties are celebrated as a part of a people’s cultural heritage. Any visit to any European country whether England, the Netherlands, France, Belgium, Germany, Russia, Spain and other smaller European countries is not complete until one has been to the various museums and palaces. One could spend a whole week going to the Tuileries and Versailles in France and the various palaces in England from the Windsor and Buckingham Palace to the various estates and palaces in Scotland and Wales. Even in Germany, a visit to the country without going to the Sans Souci the winter Palace of the Hohenzollerns in Postdam is not complete. The palace in Berlin that was destroyed by Russian tanks during the 2nd World War is now being rebuilt as part of German heritage. If countries that have had the advantage of written documentation as a source of history are doing everything possible to preserve their past, African countries that have had to rely on oral tradition must do everything to preserve what is left of their cultural heritage. It follows from the above that our country particularly our states must have comprehensive policy on historical preservation. Our northern compatriots are doing much better than we in the southern part of this country. Yorubaland and Benin in particular must do everything it can to preserve the dynastic heritage of our people. In this regard, there should be a policy of palace development, renewal, refurbishment and replacement where necessary. The fire that has destroyed the palace in Oyo should be a signal for us to have a policy of palace development. A palace is not a building belonging to an individual; palaces all over Yorubaland belong to the people. It is true that kings are born, not made but these kings represent our collective African personality and culture.

    Cynics may argue that there is no place for monarchy in a democracy. A writer once described Nigeria as “a republic of a thousand kings”. This sounds rather contradictory and exaggerated but there is an element of truth in it. Not all Nigerian ethnicities have kings. Generally speaking, every Igbo man is a king in his own home and the title Eze and Igwes in modern day Igbo land should not be equated with real kings. So when I call for a palace development in the southern part of the country, I am referring only to the Yoruba and the Edo people and not to traders in the afternoon and kings in the night as most of the Igbo Ezes are!

    The palace of the Alaafin should be re built on a grandiose manner with the architecture reflecting the tradition and culture of the people based on what exists in the architecture of the old palace. In the same vein, all Yoruba states should have plans to build modern palaces at least for first class traditional rulers. This is long overdue and the fire in the Alaafin’s palace as tragic as it may be should be a call for action.

    The starting point should be a palace construction fund to which all lovers of Yoruba heritage should be encouraged to contribute. Secondly, all the local governments under the sovereignty of the Alaafin would have to contribute while the state government should provide the remaining resources needed to build a befitting edifice for a thousand year old throne. In doing this, we will be preserving the past in the present and for the future. This is what civilized people do and if we have any claim to any measure of civilization, this is what all Yorubas must join hands in doing.

  • Fire razes cyber café

    Fire razes cyber café

    Students of Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria, Kaduna State, returned from the Yuletide break to discover that an Internet café where they browsed for materials had been destroyed by fire. AWWAL MIJINYAWA (400-Level Law) and HAUWA MUHAMMAD (300-Level Mass Communication) report.

    It was the most patronised cyber café on the Samara campus of Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria, Kaduna State. Evolution Internet Café was always a beehive of activities as staff and students regularly called to browse.

    Located in the Social Centre building, which is opposite Queen Amina Hostel, the café housed more than 150 desktop computers, laptops, printers, photocopy machines and other gadgets. CAMPUSLIFE gathered that the café was the biggest on campus.

    When the university was on Yuletide break, the unexpected happened; the building was razed by fire.

    The fire was said to have started at 11:30 pm on December 31 as people prepared for the New Year. Though, the cause of the fire remains unclear, CAMPUSLIFE gathered that it may not be unconnected with power surge.

    No life was lost as the café had closed for business before the fire started. Also, there were no students on campus when the incident. The café owner, Mr Philip Edeani, was away in Enugu occured Christmas holiday.

    The café manager, Ladan Mohammed, said the source of the fire was still unknown to him because the power source to the building was switched off when they were closing for the day. “The café usually closes by 10pm but on that day, we closed by 8pm because there were no students on campus. And we switched off all appliances before we left. So I still don’t know how fire broke out in the building,” Mohammed said.

    When CAMPUSLIFE spoke to him on telephone after the incident, Edeani said: “I am in Enugu now to celebrate the New Year with my people but I was called few minutes ago by one of my staff that my café has been burnt by fire. At first, I thought it was an April fool joke. So, I asked them to tell me the truth. They confirmed to me that everything in the café has been burnt.

    “When I told my mother, what had happened, she said I should thank God since no life was lost and that God will multiply them for me in thousand fold.”

    Students have sympathised Edeani over the loss, saying they have lost a café which offered the fastest Internet access on the campus.

    Fatima Muhammad, 300-Level Archaeology, said: “I have been patronising Evolution Café since my 100 level, because it is the fastest in the school. I don’t know which other café to go for my assignments because the burnt café had many computers which reduced human traffic in the building.”

     

  • Yet another pipeline fire

    Yet another pipeline fire

    Given the dearth of accurate statistics in Nigeria, the number of lives lost to oil pipeline explosion/fire can only be estimated in hundreds considering the number of such disasters in the country in recent times, yet we don’t seem to be ready or in a haste to end this self inflicted tragedies.

    For the umpteenth time oil thieves burst a Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) pipeline at Arepo village in Obafemi-Owode Local Government Area of Ogun State, just a stone throw from Lagos State to scoop fuel for sale at the black market.

    But since every day is for the thief and one day for the owner of the house, the seemingly unforgiving spirit of the petrol flowing in the pipeline decided enough was enough and fought back, blowing up in a loud explosion causing a huge ball of fire that consumed no fewer than 30 lives, according to initial reports in the media, with hundreds of others badly injured. The criminals and accomplices were believed to constitute the bulk of the dead while some innocent bystanders/villagers were also affected.

    Another round of fuel shortage is expected in Lagos and surrounding states as a result as the Pipeline and Products Marketing Company, the arm of NNPC in charge of the pipelines has expectedly turned the tap off to stop the flow of petrol through the Arepo pipelines.

    A day after the Arepo incident oil thieves struck at another NNPC pipeline at Oviadge, Oghara in Delta State and were lucky to escape with their lives as no fire was reported. As it is often the case among thieves, quarrel always occur not during the operation but during sharing of loot. The Arepo thieves were reportedly arguing over whom among them should scoop the fuel first after they had successfully burst the pipeline when suddenly one of them shot into the crowd and the bullet ignited the fire that consumed them.

    The questions begging for answer here is why is it so easy to vandalise our oil pipelines and why are they so vulnerable to such attacks? What are the security agencies and the NNPC doing to safeguard this all important oil facility? I remember in the 70s, when these pipelines were being laid, as school children we were wondering what the engineers and technicians were doing, but when we were told they were laying pipes to take fuel to different parts of the country, we just accepted as one of those things government do, even when we couldn’t comprehend the import of that. But since they were located far away from human habitation and buried deep in the soil, we were always on the look out for danger (keep off) signs put up by NNPC near the pipelines on our way to school and tried to avoid igniting any fire or lit a match around the area so as not to cause explosion, as if the petrol was flowing on the ground. That was our mentality then as school children and we grew up as adults to respect and appreciate the economic importance of the pipelines to Nigeria. Call it economic patriotism if you like but we were proud of it, to us it was a great achievement.

    I am sure those pipeline vandals are mostly youths and young adults and I wonder what they think of these pipelines; a passport or gateway to quick and easy wealth or what? What on earth would drive some one to burst a pipeline to scoop fuel illegally knowing the dangers involved; not even the possibility of arrest but the likelihood of losing his/her life to an explosion? Well it could be argued that a hungry and jobless person could do anything to put food on his/her table, but then at what cost both to himself and the larger society? Now these people because they wanted quick money went to burst these pipelines and now they are dead, putting their families in sorrow and anguish and the society at the risk of another harrowing fuel shortage. This is the kind of selfishness that is killing this country; nobody thinks about the interest of the other person it is self first and self alone and always. The oil thieves/pipeline vandals don’t care what happen to the rest of us as long as they make their money, and we also encourage them by buying the stolen fuel from them even when we know they don’t own or work in a filling station. Go to any of our villages and even suburbs of our towns and cities and you see people, Okada riders, grinding machine operators and owners of ‘I better pass my neighbour’ generators buying fuel from hawkers selling by roadside or even in front of their house, at home. Where do you think they get the fuel from?

    Government must begin to think about our welfare as a people, how we get the fuel that we use. If the fuel is available everywhere at the right price, nobody will patronize the hawkers and the pipeline vandals will be put out of business. It is not as if they sell this fuel for cheap.

    Again the argument over joblessness is not a justification to go into criminality. And to worsen the matter, some of these vandals and their collaborators could be gainfully employed if they so wish and live comfortably within their means. A medical doctor was arrested in Kogi State sometime ago for being a member of a syndicate that specialise in pipeline vandalisation and sale of stolen fuel. His argument was that the money he gets monthly from medical practice (N100, 000 or so) is too small to maintain himself, his aged parents and siblings. What a load of rubbish. It is true a lot of our professionals out there are just roaming the streets with nothing to do. It is also true that an idle hand is a devil’s workshop, but, these idle hands should not allow the devil to use them as the consequences are grave. The society, especially the government should also not push them into the hand of the devil.

    Government owes it as a duty to the governed not only to provide employment but also create a conducive atmosphere for job creation. Most of our graduates are unemployable because they went to school to learn the wrong or old things that are not in tune with the demands of a modern economy. Government should look into that area and make our graduates not only employable but also competitive internationally.

    Back to the issue of security of the pipelines; who protects them? Oil pipelines in the Niger Delta were recently farmed out to ex militants in the area to protect against vandalisation; who protects the pipelines here (Arepo et al) and other parts of the country? Should we engage OPC to do it since the government, going by the Niger Delta example has shown it is incapable of protecting this important economic facility?

    On a more serious note, shouldn’t we revisit the issue of the setting up of a National Guard in this country as mooted by the Babangida administration then? May be it wasn’t a bad idea after all.

     

  • Fire guts INEC building in Abuja

    Fire guts INEC building in Abuja

    There was another fire outbreak on Monday morning at the Annex Building of the Independent National Electoral Commission headquarters in Abuja.

    But for the timely intervention of fire fighters, who deployed seven trucks including four from the Federal fire service, two from the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) fire service and one from the Nigerian Air Force (NAF), the inferno could have affected other buildings and properties in the premises.

    The incident, which was said to have started around 9.30am when most workers were already on duty, badly affected the office of the Director of Voter Registry at the Information, Communication and Technology section of the commission.

    Speaking on the incident, the Director of Public Affairs of INEC, Mr. Emmanuel Umenger, said that there was no cause for alarm as the fire did not affect the data base containing information on voter registration carried out across the country.

    According to him, the fire did not spread as it started and ended in the affected office.

    He said: “As you have seen, the fire incident began and only ended in the office of the Director of Voter Registry. Due to the prompt effort of staff on ground who alerted the relevant agencies, the fire was put off before it could spread to other places.

    “Luckily, the voter registration data base was not affected and the server was saved because the fire did not even get to that section of the building,” he added.

    The Director also assured that the fire incident will not in any way affect the conduct of forthcoming elections in the country.

    “The commission is determined to grant Nigerians credible, free and fair elections at all times and this little incident will not in any way stop that, I must assure you,” Umenger stated.

    The Director of ICT in the Commission, Engineer Chidi Nwafor, who conducted journalists round the affected office, said that  personal effects of staff, some files and computers were lost to the inferno.

    According to him, there was no serious damage caused by the fire and that the real extent of the damage would be ascertained in due course.

     

  • Fire guts Ogun Govt Secretariat car park

    • Seven vehicles burnt

    Seven vehicles belonging to the Ogun State government were burnt yesterday after fire swept the car park of the ministry of local government and chieftaincy affairs at the State Government Secretariat, Oke Mosan, Abeokuta.

    The fire was put out by the State Fire Service before further damage could be done.

    The burnt vehicles included three units of Toyota Camry, two units of Honda Accord and two of Nissan Primera.

    The fire was said to have been caused by bush burning close to the complex.

    The burnt cars were among those returned to government pool by members of the immediate past local government caretaker committees in the state.

    The Deputy Chief of Staff to the State governor, Mr. Shuaib Salisu hailed the fire brigade for its timely intervention.

    Salisu with whom was the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Media, Mrs.Funmi Wakama said the fire fighters would remain on alert as the fire was still raging on the other side of the secretariat fence.

    As he spoke a towing vehicle belonging to the State Parking Management Scheme was driven into the complex to remove other vehicles in the park to safety.

     

  • Fire at Obasanjo’s mansion

    Fire at Obasanjo’s mansion

    FIREMEN fought yesterday to save former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s Abeokuta hilltop mansion from being razed.

    Only a section of the massive building was affected.

    But 10 buildings and shops were burnt in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, in another incident in what is being referred to as a “Yuletide of fires”.

    In Akure, major equipment were destroyed by fire at the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN)’s Positive FM Station.

    On Tuesday, fire from exploding fire crackers razed 12 houses in Ojo Giwa Street, Jankara, Lagos Island. One person died.

    At Obasanjo’s mansion, which overlooks the Presidential Lodge in the Ogun State capital, it was like a scene from an action movie. An evening merriment was abruptly truncated as panic – stricken members of the former President’s household, including his wife, Bola and daughter, Funke as well as visitors – some of them were foreigners – scampered for safety.

    Obasanjo’s grand children were evacuated to a safe place, away from the building. Calls for water, ladder and fire fighters filled the air.

    Sympathisers who rushed to the scene were momentarily prevented from entering as thick, black smoke billowed into the air from a section of the multimillion naira mansion.

    Members of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps(NSCDC), the police, the State Security Service (SSS) and friends of the former President battled to contain the fire from spreading to other parts of the sprawling estate.

    The fire started from an electrical spark in Obasanjo’s secretary’s office, it was learnt.

    Frantic efforts were made to salvage office furniture from being consumed by the fire, which started around 4:30 pm, barely 20 minutes after the former President left for another country home of his in Ita-Eko in the state capital.

    Obasanjo, who spoke to reporters at about 6:40pm, confirmed that it was not the entire house that was on fire, but only a section of it, his secretary’s office.

    Decked in a cream attire, Obasanjo hurried back to the Osoba Hill Top to see things for himself. He arrived after the fire had been put off.

    In the course of trying to put out the fire, a Civil Defence operative, who was identified as Kunle Famakinwa, had a cut on his index finger and was treated by medics attached to the NSCDC Ambulance marked CD 1041 A01.

    Another person said to be one of Obasanjo’s drivers was injured on his foot.

    An Ogun State Fire Service truck marked OG 122 AO9, which roared into the compound an hour after the fire started, was joined by another truck 10 minutes later.

    The fire destroyed documents, it was gathered.

    Obasanjo, in his characteristic humourous nature, spoke in Yoruba, saying “Ile Obasanjo to jo, ewa lo bu si.” ( Obasanjo’s house that got burnt will be more beautiful).

    The fire was traced to an electricity power surge in Obasanjo’s private office, which is close to his bedroom. Security men in the premises promptly raised the alarm and the Fire Service was contacted.

    The fire men swiftly responded to the distress call, racing to the scene in two vehicles to quench the fire.

    No life was lost, but property was destroyed by the fire. Unlike Obasanjo, who looked unruffled, his wife, Bola, was sighted in the premises in company of some grandchildren looking worried.

    Early callers include the Commissioner of Police, Mr Ikemefuna Okoye, who arrived at 5:50pm.

    Others are Senator Dipo Odunjirin, Secretary to the State Government Mr Taiwo Adeoluwa, Commissioner for Works, Mr Lekan Adegbite, Deputy Chief of Staff, Ogun State, Mr Shuab Salisu, and former Environment Commissioner Mr Toyin Ojesina.

    Odunjirin, who is the factional Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chairman, expressed joy that no life was lost.

    People wailed in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, yesterday, as no fewer than 10 buildings and shops were razed by fire.

    The incident occurred on Market Road, Rumumasi, in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area. Property worth millions of naira were destroyed, but nobody died.

    It was learnt that most of the residents of the affected buildings and shops had travelled for Christmas. Some people were about leaving for their villages for the New Year celebration when the fire started around 2 pm.

    The cause of the fire could not be ascertained immediately, but it was gathered that an explosion from a cooking gas cylinder in one of the buildings aggravated the fire and aiding it to quickly spread to other apartments and shops.

    Many of the affected residents, who could not salvage their property, are now homeless. Owners of the burnt shops were also counting their losses. They pleaded with the Obio/Akpor Local Government and Rivers State government to assist them in cushioning the effect.

    One of the victims, who simply identified himself as Uche, said he lost all his certificates and valuable property in the inferno, which he described as unfortunate.

    The inferno at the Positive FM in Akure started around 6:40am. It affected the Engineering Department where facilities were destroyed.

    According to the General Manager of the Station, Rev. Olusegun Ayankoso, the fire would have engulfed the entire station but for the vigilance of officers on duty.

    He said the fire was caused by a power surge from one of the sockets. It affected an Automatic Voltage Regulator, air-conditioners, electrical cables, audio cables from the studio and the station’s Internet facilities.

    Ayankoso said the station had opened for operation before the incident, but “the timely detection of the fire saved the entire station from being gutted by it.

    “We were able to put out the fire with the assistance of workers on duty before the arrival of the Fire Service men,” he said.

    In Lagos, the top floor of a building on Fola Agoro Street, Somolu, was destroyed by fire, which reportedly broke out at about 5pm. Lagos State Fire Service team was able to put out the fire but not before all personal effects on the floor were lost.

    The cause of the fire was not clearly identified as eyewitnesses said it was caused by an electrical spark while others said it was caused by cooking gas.

    No casualty was recorded as residents of the building, which is reportedly owned by Alhaji Fola Agoro, were said to have travelled for the Christmas and New Year holidays.

    The Director of the Fire Service, Razaq Fadipe, told The Nation that his agency was also responding to distress calls from a private school in Shomolu and a residence in Ojuelegba.

    He said the metre board of Great Nursery and Primary School caught fire but it was promptly put out. He said there is need to take fire safety drills to the grassroots level through local governments.

    Governor Babatunde Fashola, while inspecting the ruin on Lagos Island on Boxing Day, said the fire service recently responded to 22 fire incidents over a weekend.

  • Fire guts Obasanjo’s hill top home

    Fire guts Obasanjo’s hill top home

    A section of the multi-million naira mansion of former President Olusegun Obasanjo in Abeokuta, Ogun State, went up in flames on Thursday.

    Members of Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, the Nigeria Police Force, State Security Service and close friends of the ex-president battled to contain the fire from spreading to other parts of the sprawling estate.

    Ogun State Fire Service truck marked OG 122 AO9 roared into the compound an hour after the fire was detected and was joined by another ten minutes later.

    The Nation gathered that the fire which started at about 4:30pm gutted Obasanjo’s office within the building and it is not yet clear what caused it.

     

  • Fire at International Airport

    There was fire outbreak at the reconstructed section of the D wing of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Ikeja, Lagos, yesterday.

    It was caused by electric spark from a welding machine.

    Eyewitnesses said attempts by the welder to put out the fire failed, causing the inferno to spread.

    As news of the fire spread, scores of airport workers and passengers became jittery.

    The General Manager, Corporate Services, Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), said: “There was a minor fire at a construction site beside the ‘D’ wing extension of the MMIA about 11:30am today (yesterday).

    “The fire was caused by the welders working on the site. It lasted for about 15 minutes.

    “The prompt intervention of fire service officials attached to the airport brought the it under control.

    “There were no casualties. The only fallout of the incident was the switching off of the power source, which has since been restored.

    “Normal activities at the airport, which were not interrupted by the fire, have continued as planes are taking off and landing.

    “FAAN hails the rapid response of the officers and men of its Fire Department and other relevant agencies for restoring normalcy.

    “We remain committed to providing secure, safe and comfortable airport environment as enshrined in the aviation master plan.”

    Only two days ago, wind from a cargo aircraft blew off the roof of the generator house at the Diplomatic Car Park and destroyed some cars.

    Confirming the incident, FAAN said: “A plane, Boeing 747, belonging to Saudi Arabia, parked at the E arrival at the MMIA was about to taxi to the cargo terminal when jet blast from it removed the roof of the generator house, which blew over the roof of a police station nearby.

    “Debris from the wind caused some damages to a few cars parked at the diplomatic car park.

    “A passer-by sustained a minor injury. He was treated at a nearby clinic and discharged. Normalcy has been restored.”