Properties worth millions of naira was destroyed on Thursday when fire gutted 17 rooms of a building located at No. 13 Awolowo Street very close to the fire service office in Abakaliki. The fire also razed eight shops attached to the building.
Items destroyed by the inferno include: refrigerators, electronics, furniture and other household property.
The fire, which started at about 9 am, was said to have been caused by an electrical fault.
One of the victims, Michael Nkwegu told New Telegraph that 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 power was restored, there was a loud noise from the roof and smoke subsequently started to billow out.
“Before we could know it, fire engulfed everywhere and we started seeking for ways to put it out.
“The most annoying thing is that we were helpless; there was no water while the fire service did not come to our rescue even though their office is just a stone’s throw from the scene.
“The fire service officials complained that they don’t have water to quench the inferno,” he said.
Nkwegu called on the government and good spirited individuals to come to their aid.
