The Nation Newspaper

Tag: fire

  • Fire razes Anambra council secretariat

    Fire razes Anambra council secretariat

    Fire on Wednesday night gutted Dunukofia Council Secretariat in Dunukofia Local Government Area of Anambra State. 

    The inferno, which occurred around 7pm, was said to be caused by bush burning.

    A witness said the fire would have escalated if not for quick response of fire fighters who arrived the scene shortly.

    State Fire Chief, Engr. Dr. Martin Agbili confirmed the incident, saying no life was lost. 

    According to him: “At about 1853hrs (6.53pm) of Wednesday 07-02-2024, Anambra State Fire Service, received a distress call of Heavy Fire Outbreak at Dunukofia.

    “Immediately, we deployed our fire truck and gallant Firefighters to scene of fire and fought, controlled and extinguished the fire. 

    “The cause of the Fire was Bush Fire which was started by unknown person(s) and encroached the Local Government Council Secretariat.

    “During the firefighting operations, we were able to control and extinguished the fire and prevented it from destroying a lot of things at the Local Government Council.

    “We withdrew from the fire scene at about 2030hrs (8.30pm) after fighting the fire to standstill and calming the situation.

    “It is also important that we clear all bushes around our environment especially at this dry season and harmattan to avoid had I known.”

  • Fire averted at Awka gas plant, Nnewi timber market

    Fire averted at Awka gas plant, Nnewi timber market

    Men of Anambra State Fire Service on Tuesday had a six-hour battle in an attempt to put out fire at timber market in Nnewi.

    The firefighters, same day, also averted explosion at a gas plant after controlling another fire from burning the bush behind the plant.

    The Nation gathered that the Nnewi inferno, which started around 11am from a gully heap of sawdust at the market, raised thick smoke that covered the market.

    Eyewitness said the fire nearly spread to the entire market, but for quick response of the fire men.

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    Similarly, the inferno behind the gas plant, which occurred around 9pm, was reportedly controlled by firefighters, who arrived the scene quickly.

    Confirming both incidents, State Fire Chief, Martin Agbili, an engineer; said nobody died, “although there was panic in the areas.”

    While he linked the Awka fire to bush burning by yet-to-be identified persons, Agbili said the cause of Nnewi inferno was yet to be ascertained.

    Thanking those who alerted his men in time, he told residents that the time of distress call would always determine the time of response.

  • JUST IN: Millions of Naira lost as fire guts Ibadan market

    JUST IN: Millions of Naira lost as fire guts Ibadan market

    Goods worth millions of naira was lost to overnight fire incident occurred at Sango market in Ibadan, the Oyo state capital.

    The inferno, which was said to have caused by electric spark burnt over 20 shops in the market.

    This is coming a few days after such incident happened at Ire Akari Estate, Soka, Ibadan.

    The Nation reported that some shop owners affected by the incident expressed their challenges in rebuilding their shops and businesses, emphasizing that these ventures are their sole sources of livelihood. 

    Market traders conveyed their shock at the extensive damage caused by the fire, describing the calamity as overwhelming and unbearable.

  • ‘We watched till everything got burnt’, Pastor Osunmakinde reveals how Household of David caught fire

    ‘We watched till everything got burnt’, Pastor Osunmakinde reveals how Household of David caught fire

    The pastor of Household of David, Sola Osunmakinde, has revealed how the fire incident that gutted the church started, saying he watched with agony as everything was burnt before his eyes.

    The Nation reported that a fire broke out at the church located in the Ikeja local government area of Lagos state earlier on Wednesday, January 31.

    The incident was confirmed by the spokesperson for the Lagos State Fire Service, Amodu Shakiri, attributing it to the overheating of the church’s auditorium roof.

    Osunmakinde said the fire service was put off but “painfully, we watched till everything got burnt completely. Everything.”

    He said: “I came here this (Wednesday) morning and everything was going on well, we were setting up,” he narrated. “All of a sudden, we started hearing something up there and there was fire.”

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     “Nobody anticipated this. The most important thing is that no life was lost,” he said in a video with a background of burnt carcasses of what is now left of the fancy auditorium with colourful lighting and thousands of steel chairs.

    “It’s a painful experience, no doubt but all things work together for good.”

    The Mercy Conference was scheduled to take place on January 31, 2024, and numerous Pentecostal preachers, including Yemi Davids, Godman Akinlabi, Pastor Isaac Oyedepo, and Apostle Joshua Selman, were scheduled to minister during the gathering. Notable minstrels including Moses Bliss, Victoria Orenze, Dunsin Oyekan, and Nathaniel Bassey are also scheduled to minister throughout the convention.

    Osunmakinde added: “We believe God and we are still going to go ahead with the conference.”

  • JUST IN: Fire guts two Anambra schools

    JUST IN: Fire guts two Anambra schools

    Two secondary schools in Nawfia, located in the Njikoka local government area of Anambra State were ravaged by for at the weekend.

    The affected institutions were Community Secondary School and Comprehensive Secondary School, both situated in Nawfia.

    Reports indicate that the fires, which broke out in the evening, originated from a nearby bush and spread to the school buildings.

    The Nation gathered that no life was lost in both fire outbreaks.

    Confirming the incident, State Fire Chief, Martin Agbili said his men battled the fire with assistance of some individuals who were there before their arrival.

    He urged school principals, headmasters, and headmistresses whose schools are near bushes to devise strategies for clearing the vegetation at a distance from their premises.

    He said: “At about 1849hrs (6.49pm) of Saturday 27-01-2024, Anambra State Fire Service, received a distress call of heavy fire outbreak at Community Secondary School, Nawfia.

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    “Immediately, we deployed our fire truck and firefighters to the fire scene.

    “The heavy fire outbreak emanated from nearby bush and spread to the School buildings. We arrived and battled the fire with assistance of some individuals who were there before our arrival.

    “On Friday 26-01-2024, we also battled a heavy fire outbreak at Comprehensive Secondary School, Nawfia which emanated from bush fire and was spreading to the School buildings.

    “As we are at the peak of harmattan, I wish to use this medium to call on all School Principals, Headmasters and Headmistress who have their Schools closer to bushes to find ways to cut down the bushes far away from their schools.”

  • Fire guts equipment at Delta-owned broadcast station

    Fire guts equipment at Delta-owned broadcast station

    A midnight fire, yesterday, destroyed broadcast equipment worth over N3 billion at Delta Broadcasting Service, (DBS) Asaba, The Nation has learnt.

    It was learnt equipment destroyed by the inferno included two Television Transmitters, Television Coaxial cables which linked the Transmitters to the Studio and Master Control Room (MCR) five industrial  air conditioners and other critical components of the transmitters including Exciters and Amplifiers.                 

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    It was also gathered that the inferno started from the transmitters’ hall shortly after power was restored to the station from the State Owned Independent Power project (IPP) which supplies power to critical government establishments in the Delta state capital.                  

    The Nation gathered that the absence of fire extinguishers exacerbated the situation as the few available staff had a hectic time fighting the fire.

    A source said the fire raged for over two hours and when firefighters arrived they could neither gain access to the building nor had enough water in their truck to stop the fire. 

  • Fire guts two-storey building in Anambra

    Fire guts two-storey building in Anambra

     Electronics and documents worth millions have been lost to a fire incident in a two-storey building in Kwata junction in Awka, Anambra State capital.

    The incident,which occurred on Tuesday, affected the roof of the structure housing several offices.

    Eyewitnesses said the entire building could have been razed but for the quick response of fire fighters who arrived the scene promptly.

    Confirming the incident, State Fire Chief, Engr Martin Agbili said no casualty was recorded in the inferno caused by power surge.

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    He stressed the importance of early fire calls as that would determine response time of fire fighters to any fire incident.

    “Anambra State Fire Service, received a distress call of fire outbreak at a plaza (Valuation House) of two storey building at Kwata Junction and in front of Ministry of Agriculture which is housing different offices.

    “Immediately, we deployed our fire truck and firefighters to scene of fire, and we fought, controlled and extinguished the fire with the assistance of some individuals.

    “The cause of the fire was as a result of Power Surge. No life was lost during the fire outbreak. 

    “The fire which emanated from the roof of the building, affected the roof, some electronic and some documents. We we able to save the entire building (plaza).

    “It is important to know that early fire calls will always determine the response time of fire service to any fire incident.”

  • Fire guts 10-storey Mandilas building in Lagos 

    Fire guts 10-storey Mandilas building in Lagos 

    Fire has gutted a 10-storey building on Broad Street, Lagos Island Local Government Area of Lagos State, destroying items and properties worth several millions of naira. 

    The Nation learnt men of the state Fire and Rescue Service, Lagos State Emergency Management Agency, LASEMA, Police, and other emergency responders raced to the scene to put out the raging fire.

    According to the Director, Lagos Fire and Rescue Service, Margaret Adeseye, the firestorm started on the first floor and got to the fourth floor.

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    She said officers of the fire service from Ebute Elefun and Sari Iganmu stations were swiftly deployed to the scene of the incident.

    Adeseye said the cause of the fire incident is yet unknown, adding that no casualty was involved in the inferno.

    An update shared by Jubril Gawat, Senior Special Assistant to the state governor on his “X” handle said: “The Big Boy is here …. Mandilas Building Broad Street, Lagos Island. The First Responders are attacking the Fire from the front and from the back.

    “Old Mandilas Building, Broad Street, Lagos Island. Men of the Lagos State Fire Service, Nigeria Police Force, Rapid Response Squad and other agencies are on ground.”

  • Fire destroys 1,900 bags of beans, other grains in Adamawa         

    Fire destroys 1,900 bags of beans, other grains in Adamawa         

    A fire incident has burnt 19 shops containing 1,900 bags of assorted grains at a market in Gombi, a major town 123 kilometres north of the state capital, Yola.

    Speaking on the incident, the Secretary of the affected grains market union, Mallam Umar Nyalli, said an unknown smoker ignited the destructive fire by throwing a burning stick of cigarette at a heap of waste materials near the shops.

    “The businesses of the 19 shop owners have been paralysed. Nothing could be retrieved of their wares,” Nyalli lamented.

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    According to him, “We lost bags of maize, groundnuts, guinea corn, sesame seeds, beans and  tamarin fruits to the inferno.”

    He appealed for help from governments at all levels and from public-spirited individuals.

    The state Deputy Governor, Professor Kaletapwa George Farauta, who has gone to commiserate with the affected traders, said the losses were huge.

    She, however, asked the traders to believe that God would revamp their businesses, and asked relevant authorities to enlighten citizens to shun improper handling of fire.

    The Gombi incident was the second fire incident in the state in the last two weeks.

    Recall a wildfire on the 6th of this month had destroyed wares in 10 shops near the Federal College of Education, Yola.

  • Fire razes popular supermarket in Adamawa

    Fire razes popular supermarket in Adamawa

    Fire has destroyed a popular multi-shop supermarket in Numan, a major town in Adamawa State, near the capital, Yola.

    The Nation gathered yesterday that the fire affected all the seven shops at IFY Supermarket on the busy major street, Ahmadu Bello Way, Numan.

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    An eyewitness said the fire engulfed the shops in the early hours of Wednesday, apparently as a result of power upsurge experienced in the community at the time.

    Deputy Governor Kaletapwa Farauta and House of Representatives member from the area, Kwamoti Laori, were among the personalities who visited the place yesterday to assess the extent of damage and symphatise with the victims.