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Tag: inferno

  • Inferno engulfs transport company, razes building

    Inferno engulfs transport company, razes building

    A major commercial transport company, operating in Aba, Abia State has suffered huge loss following a fire accident in their head office located on the popular Milverton Housing Road.

    The damage runs into millions of naira.

    The fire incident was said to have been caused by a spark from a generating set, which exploded and splashed Petroleum Motor Spirit (PMS) on other parts of the building which escalated the situation.

    The Operations Manager of the company, Mr. Ikechukwu Nwosu while confirming that the fire started from their plant house, said the fire started when they noticed a spark as one of their staff had gone to switch on their generating set to enable them to pump water in the facility.

    Nwosu said the level of damage cannot be quantified and appealed to the government to come to their aid saying that the loss was monumental.

     He further disclosed that four cars; a private SUV belonging to his boss, two luxury buses undergoing repairs, one delivery van, three dispatch motorcycles, four generating sets, and among other important documents including customer’s received, and yet-to-be waybilled items were engulfed in the inferno.

    Read Also: JUST IN: Two die, property razed as inferno guts late Akala’s residence

    He thanked the men of the Abia State Fire Service, the Aba Areas Commander of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF), and others who ensured that the fire was put off and security of other properties was saved.

     Meanwhile, speaking during an on-the-spot visit to the company to see the extent of damage, Governor Alex Otti said the crowded nature of the park was a recipe for disaster.

    Otti further stated that the government would look at other parks at Osisioma and Port-Harcourt Road with more space to move some of the vehicles at Milverton Avenue there.

    Also speaking, the Mayor of Aba South, Chief Uche Nwogu described the incident as most unfortunate but thanked God that no life was lost, “We thank God that no life was lost. We thank God that Abia is working. We thank God that we have a Governor who is very sensitive to the plight of the people. “The Fire Service is working. The day was saved by the Fire Service. So it is unfortunate that in a small place like this, we have a diesel dump which might have aggravated the fire incident.”

  • Traders lose millions in Aba inferno

    Traders in  Nkwo Ngwa market in Aba South Local Government Area of Abia State have lost goods worth millions of naira in a midnight fire that engulfed the market.

    While police and other agencies have launched investigation to unravel the cause of the fire incident, sources at the market told our reporter that they suspected that it  was as a result of the carelessness of a food vendor who couldn’t properly put out fire in her shop before closing for the day.

    Another source has it that the fire started in a wood processing factory in the market.

    Our reporter who visited the market on Sunday in the company of Abia State Commissioner of Police, Chris Ezike gathered that over 100 shops were engulfed in the inferno.

    It was learnt that the fire incident which started at about 8pm lasted several hours before it could be put out by some of the callers to the scene and through the efforts of personnel of the State Fire Service who were on hand to stop the fire from spreading to other parts of the market.

    Some of the affected traders who could not hold back their tears said that their loss run into millions and lamented the bad situation of the road leading to the market which prevented the Fire Servicemen from arriving the scene in record time, causing them to suffer more damage.

    Prince Okechukwu Lawrence, chairman of the market confirmed that there was no loss of live, but regretted the level of damage suffered by the traders as a result of the inferno.

    Lawrence while debunking that the traders attacked personnel of the fire service, disclosed that hoodlums capitalized on the incident to loot from other shop owners in the market.

    He appealed to Abia State governor, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu to come to their aid as many of them have lost their means of livelihood through the inferno.

    In his speech, the Commissioner of Police in the state who said that he was on a sympathy visit and to have firsthand information of the incident, called on the traders to be calm and peaceful as police had already launched investigation into the matter.

    Ezike added that they have started compiling the names of the affected traders with the intention of forwarding same to the state government for necessary actions to be taken.

    The Senior Special Adviser to Abia State Governor on Security, Captain Awa Udensi (rtd) who was also at the scene expressed the regret over the loss, adding that the state government would see ways of coming to the assistance of the affected victims.

    Awa assured the traders that their plight would be tabled to the Governor of the state as soon as he (Ikpeazu) arrives the state from his trip.

    Some residents who spoke to our reporter described the incident as unfortunate, stressing that they were all afraid that the damage could be much going by the rage of the inferno.

    They thanked the commissioner of police for showing concern and prayed that efforts would be put in place to check a recurrence of such ugly incident.

  • Stop the killings in Benue, others, group tells govt

    Stop the killings in Benue, others, group tells govt

    The Nigerian Centre of PEN International, otherwise known as PEN Nigeria, has condemned the violent killings and other acts against humanity being meted out on the citizenry by insurgents and cultists in Benue, Kaduna, Nasarawa, Adamawa, Taraba, Plateau and Rivers.

    The group, in a statement by its President, Folu Agoi, decried the killings, describing it as an “inferno”.

    “Nigerians are daily inundated with news of scores of citizens killed and many more maimed, besides precious property destroyed in virtually all the states of the federation, particularly Benue, Kaduna, Nasarawa, Adamawa, Taraba, Plateau and Rivers. PEN Nigeria, hereby expresses, in absolute terms, its condemnation of the raging conflagration that seems to have taken root in Nigeria, threatening to engulf the entire country. The inferno – which manifests itself in carnage, kidnapping, robbery, rape, maiming and sundry other acts of barbarism carried out mostly by suspected itinerant cattle herders, besides suspected insurgents and suspected cultists – is, sadly, inflamed by the failure of the Federal Government to go beyond paying lip service to its understanding of – and commitment to – its basic obligation, as enunciated in Section 14(b) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended), that: ‘The security and welfare of the people shall be the primary purpose of government.’ The group, therefore, called on government to take more drastic steps to put an end to the menace before it engulfs the country, while observing that the growth of violence shows the failure government’s commitment to its responsibility to its citizens.

    “PEN Nigeria, thus, urges the Federal Government of Nigeria under the leadership of President Muhammadu Buhari to take decisive action to stem the tide of incessant attacks of innocent citizens, and demonstrate genuine commitment to the safety and welfare of all citizens. Sincere effort must be made to sanitise the country and remove its name from the list of states in which the sanctity of human life is an anathema.”

  • How I contained inferno in my home with yam powder, by Ubi Franklin

    How I contained inferno in my home with yam powder, by Ubi Franklin

    Triple MG boss, Ubi Franklin, on Tuesday, survived a fire outbreak in his home.

    The fire was said to have been caused by a faulty Air Conditioner.

    Franklin, a former executive manager of popular Nigerian musician, Iyanya, shared the news on his Instagram.

    He said: “Woke up this morning and my house was on fire, I had to do what I could to bring it down. House on fire this morning, thank God for saving me.”

    Narrating the incident, the father of one stated, “So I woke up this morning and was getting set for work. I had my friends come in from out of town and I was like since I live alone they should come stay at mine. I had just finished praying and was getting my gadgets ready for work and I heard one of my friends shouting ‘fire, fire, Ubi, fire, fire’.

    “I came out and the whole house was filled up with smoke I was confused on where to start; the fire started from a faulty AC. Guess what all the water taps in the entire house stopped working.

    “I had to get the bottle water from the fridge and started with that. It was raining heavy at the time I don’t think there was an amount of shouting that could be heard by a neighbor”.

    On how they were finally able to put out the fire, he said, “My friend found poundo yam flour in the kitchen and we soaked that in water and finally we were able to contain that fire. At some point I couldn’t see anymore because the smoke covered the whole house and I fell”.

    Recall that Franklin recently launched an online Laundromat service ‘Instant Pick-Up’ in Lagos and Abuja with Annie Idibia, Tokunbo Tboss Idowu and others as brand ambassadors.

  • Expectant mother, four year old son die in Enugu inferno

    An expectant mother and her four year old son were Thursday confirmed dead at Ngenevu area of the Coal Camp Enugu following an inferno.

    Many others sustained various degrees of burns.

    According to a police bulletin from its spokesman in Enugu, Ebere Amaraizu the fire occurred when “one Hillary Ugwuoke, husband to the deceased, had allegedly bought kerosene from a neighbour in the evening which he later poured into his lantern and in the attempt to lit the lantern, the kerosene exploded and went into flames.”

    And in the process Hillary, his pregnant wife and his children were trapped in the inferno.

    Neighbours and sympathizers rushed to their rescue and helped to stop the fire spreading.

    The injured were taken to National Orthopeadic hospital Enugu for medical attention.

    According to the bulletin: “It was further gathered that at the hospital, Mrs. Ugwuoke was confirmed dead together with her 4 year old son while others who sustained severe burns are receiving treatment.

    “Investigations into the incident have begun by police operatives with a view to finding out the likely cause of the incident.”

     

  • N10m goods destroyed in Agodi Gate Market inferno

    An early morning fire yesterday razed some parts of Araromi Market at Agodi Gate, Ibadan, where used tyres and motor  spare parts worth over N10 million were destroyed.

    Market Chairman Abdul Azeez Ojo told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the inferno began at 5.30 am.

    According to him, the Fire Service was alerted and they responded promptly.

    Ojo, however, said a sizeable number of shops stocked with tyres and other goods were razed before the arrival of the firemen at 6 am.

    “The Fire Service were able to put out the fire to avert more destruction, nevertheless, shop owners still suffered losses worth over N10 million.

    “The most pathetic thing is that these burnt shops were owned by young traders, who had just started business.

    “We appeal to the government to assist them,’’ he said.

    Two victims – Hassan Olanrewaju and Michael Ajayi-  pleaded with the government and Nigerians to assist them.

    The Fire Service team commander, Adeleke Isiaka, said his team arrived at the scene promptly, adding the response time was impressive.

    Isiaka said his team was able to put out the fire due to the cooperation received from the traders and sympathisers.

    “The cause of the incident is yet to be ascertained, but it is possible that careless handling of cigarette butts may be responsible.

    “I am saying this because there was no electricity and  cooking in the market at the time of the incident,’’ Isiaka said.

    Policemen and Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) officials were on ground to prevent looting of shops.

  • Fire guts Kaduna Ministry of Justice

    Kaduna Ministry of Justice was on Monday gutted by early morning inferno which started at about 2:00am and destroyed a lot of important documents.

    The fire affected no fewer than 12 offices at the top floor of the building that housed the ministry including that of the Kaduna State Attorney General.

    A source in the Ministry, said the Fire Service brigade arrived the scene on time to put the fire under control and eventually prevented it from spreading to other buildings that housed other ministries in the area.

    According to him, “It took timely intervention of the fire service people to out the fire. The fire, owing to the closeness of the building would have engulfed other building where we have several other ministries,” the source stated.

    As the press time, the cause of the inferno remains sketchy as nobody in the ministry was ready to talk to the press because the state government had not permitted them to do so.

    It was however learnt that investigation to unravel the cause of the fire has been launched officially and an official statement on the incident may remain pending until investigations are concluded.

  • Rivers inferno

    •Yet again, guns boom in Ogoniland. This anomie must be arrested before it is too late

    Just as it was in the run-up to the general elections in Rivers State last year, guns are booming in the run-up to the legislative re-runs, ordered after the courts voided most of the elections into the National Assembly seats in the state; and the state house of assembly.

    From media reports, trouble started on the night of February 22 when a detachment of troops from the 2 Brigade of the Nigerian Army, Port Harcourt, stormed the Yeghe community in Gokana Local Government Area of the state. Captain Eli Lazarus, the public relations officer of the brigade, spoke of an ongoing “military operation” in Gokana, details of which he promised to later brief the media.

    But locals in Yeghe disclosed the soldiers were indeed after Solomon Ndigbara, aka Gen. Osama Bin Laden, a former Niger Delta militant, whose boys allegedly engaged the soldiers in gun battle. At the end of it all, the troops allegedly razed Ndigbara’s house, while no less than eight people lost their lives.

    Why troops would raid and raze Ndigbara’s house, the Army has not told anyone. Is he accused of any security breach? And even if he was, is razing his house the solution to correcting that breach?  Nigerians deserve a full briefing from the Army authorities.

    That elements suspected to be Ndigbara’s “boys” foolishly engaged the Army in a shootout appears to reflect the tenuous security situation in the area. Though the loss of lives should be rued and condemned, it would amount to wilful suicide, if indeed the “boys” took on the troops as reported.

    But while an Army/militant tussle is bad enough, its link to political violence is even more worrisome. Again, according to media reports, Ndigbara’s partisans, smarting from the razing of their leader’s house, mobilised to Bori, to torch the campaign headquarters of Senator Magnus Abe, the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, in the re-run senatorial election for Rivers South East.

    Now, what is the nexus between a military operation against a former militant and the campaign office of a senatorial candidate? The Ndigbara camp alleged Abe was complicit in the military raid of Ndigbara’s house. So, their razing of his own campaign office somewhat settled scores.

    Linked to surface evidence, the narrative is very dire. The former militant’s camp is suggesting the Army is involved in settling private partisan scores. That would be unfortunate, if true. As retaliation, the militants were claiming a self-gifted right to arson. That is criminal, and should be punished.

    Meanwhile, Governor Nyesom Wike made a tepid statement that the Army were in Ogoniland to secure everyone. Given the tincture of his own controversial election, he didn’t sound convincing to anyone that Gokana is not only a tragic foreplay to another round of insane killings, as the re-run elections draw near, just as it was before the elections in 2015.

    That is why the Federal Government should wade in to reveal what exactly happened. For starters, all the so-called militants involved in the razing of Abe’s campaign office should be rounded up, tried and punished. Then, the troops that razed Ndigbara’s house should also be quizzed by the military to explain why. They should also be punished if found culpable.

    But beyond that, the real reasons for the killing and arson should be unearthed. Is it really a case of partisan retaliation? Or has it to do with other intra-Ogoni disputes, that could snowball into bigger tragedies if not addressed right now and arrested?

    The final verdict in the Rivers State gubernatorial election disappointed not a few. But that shouldn’t encourage a culture of political barbarity, leading to almost systemic shedding of blood, whenever an election approaches.

    That is why the authorities must punish — and severely too — those involved in this Ogoni violence. That should serve as warning to whoever could be planning mayhem, as the re-run elections approach.

  • Mother, seven children die in inferno

    Mother, seven children die in inferno

    A mother and seven of her children were burnt to death yesterday in Ohufu village, Ogboji community in Ishielu local government area of Ebonyi State.

    It was gathered that the two thatched houses where the family members were sleeping suddenly caught fire around 3am.

    The mother was said to have been trapped in the inferno while battling to save one of her children.

    Only her 80-year-old husband, Sylvanus Nefuru, and one of the children, Ukamaka Nwefuru, survived the fire outbreak.

    The cause of the outbreak could not be ascertained.

    Ukamaka Nwefuru said her mother rescued her and proceeded to save another member of the family when she was trapped and died in the inferno.

     

    The Caretaker Committee Chairman of Ishielu local government area, Henry Eze, lamented the disaster and called on security agents to investigate the matter.

  • Firm loses millions in inferno

    Firm loses millions in inferno

    a construction company on MCC Road, off Aba-Owerri Expressway, Aba, Abia State, Zerock Construction, lost property worth millions of naira in a mysterious fire that engulfed its premises yesterday.

    Equipments affected were mainly heavy-duty vehicles.

    Though the cause of the fire was yet to be ascertained, sources said the fire was fierce and insufficient water in the compound made it difficult to quench it at the early stage.

    A resident said: “We initially thought the people were burning dry leaves. But it got to a point where the fire became more intense and afterwards, we saw fire service truck drive into the compound and later out, apparently to get a refill.

    “The workers locked their gates and didn’t allow anyone into the compound”.

    Another resident, Felix, said the inferno started at about 5pm and that its cause remains unknown.

    State Fire Service Chief Gbaruko Victor said they were yet to ascertain the cause of the fire, even as he debunked instantaneous fire ignition temperature as the cause.

    According to Victor, they would be moving into the company’s premises to ascertain the cause of the fire and to get an estimation of how much property was lost.

    When The Nation visited the premises, workers were seen trying to evacuate some of their equipments.