Goods and household items worth millions of naira were destroyed yesterday when fire gutted a building located at No. 13 Awolowo Street in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State. The fire razed 17 rooms in the building and eight shops attached to it. Ironically, the building is very close to the fire service office in Abakaliki. Items destroyed by the inferno include refrigerators, electronics, furniture and other household property.
The fire, which started about 9am, was said to have been caused by an electrical fault. One of the victims, Michael Nkwegu, said there was power outage in the area, which is also located very close to the Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC). According to him, when the light was restored, there was a loud noise from the roof and smoke followed suit. He said: “Before we knew it, fire engulfed everywhere and we started seeking ways to quench it.
“The most annoying thing is that we were helpless. There was no water while fire service officials did not come to our rescue though their office is just a stone throw from the scene. “The fire service officials complained that they did not have water to tackle the inferno.” Nkwegu called on the government and publicspirited individuals to come to their aid. Meanwhile, five private vehicles parked on the premises of the building were smashed by angry mob over the inferno.
An angry mob also burnt a motorcycle because fire service officials did not come to the rescue of the victims. The residents of the area had marched to the fire service office on Waterworks Road to register their grievance over the attitude of the officials.
