Abia State Governor, Alex Otti, Friday expressed his rage at the men of Abia Fire Service, Aba who switched off their phones as a two-storey building was burnt down in Aba Tuesday night, destroying cash and property worth millions of naira.

Nothing was salvaged as the two flats on the 2nd floor of the building located at 73 Lagos Street off Ngwa Road Aba was completely raised down, while efforts by the Head, Abia State Fire Service/Fire and Medical Emergencies/ Senior Special Assistant to the governor on Homeland Security, Chukwunenye Anajemba who rushed down to Aba from Umuahia midnight to get his men in Aba for water trucks failed.

As a result, therefore, Otti, who was speaking when he paid an unscheduled visit to the site of the inferno, ordered a high-power investigation on the cause of the incident and why relevant fire service officers who were supposed to be on duty were absent from job and even switched off their phones, making them incommunicado while the inferno lasts.

While describing the incident as unfortunate, Otti directed the Senior Special Assistant on Homeland Security to investigate what actually led to the inferno, stressing the need for every household to have a fire extinguisher.

Otti said, “It’s quite unfortunate, the thing is that an investigation will be conducted to determine the cause of the inferno. Whether it is a natural occurrence or some sort, one was careless with, maybe a stove. What we have to learn is that everyone should have a fire extinguisher, if you had a fire extinguisher, you would have been able to put off the fire.

“It’s quite unfortunate that the fire service could not come on time. Normally they arrive within ten minutes, I’m confused about the way this one turned out. I have directed them to do a thorough investigation to ascertain why the phone numbers of fire service officers were off during the fire outbreak. They are not supposed to put off their phones. It is really sad that it happened. It is really unfortunate, but since it has happened, there is nothing anybody can do about it.

“I need to get a report about the fire service officers, and why their phones were put off and this whole place burned down completely. We spent a lot of money to equip them, buying them vehicles. In the past, they have responded very quickly and efficiently, but unfortunately, this one, they didn’t.”

He urged the victims to take heart and assured them that the government would help them reduce the effect of the loss on them as well as support them to get an alternative accommodation. He thanked God that no life was lost in the inferno, stating that he would approach the state House of Assembly for a law on all households in the state to install fire extinguishers.

Narrating their ordeals, the Landlord of the building, Mr. Vincent Uzuegbu and his tenant, where the fire started, Mr. Obinna Obi and his wife, Ugochi said they were asleep when the fire incident started at about 7.30 pm.

The landlord, Uzuegbu said Obinna’s wife Ugochi woke him up through knocks on his door and that upon opening the door, everywhere was covered with smoke and fire, and could not get anything out of the flat except what he and his wife were wearing and could not identify the cause of the fire outbreak.

Weeping profusely, Obinna, who deals on metal scraps at Owerrinta and his wife, Ugochi said they lost all, including N20m cash a client gave her husband for a supply of metal scraps a day earlier. According to the wife. The husband was not at home when the incident happened, stating, “I and my children ran out naked, without pants and brassier”, only to be covered by neighbours, adding that their children had fainted following their inhalation of smoke.

All, including the wife of the landlord, Immaculata said they lost everything and appealed to the State Government to come to their aid. The landlord, a retiree is now living in one room given to him by a sympathizer, while the tenant is living with his brother.


https://punchng.com/otti-laments-fire-service-failure-in-aba-blaze-orders-probe/