Landlords, Tenants Count Losses as Fire Guts Three Buildings in Awka

By Praise Chinecherem

Landlords and tenants are counting their losses as three residential buildings were gutted by fire at various locations in Awka, Anambra State capital.

A student hostel, a night club facility and a storey building were reportedly razed at different times in the area.

Anambra Daily gathered that although no life was lost in the fire, but goods worth millions of naira were destroyed during the inferno.

While the cause of the fire in the hostel and the club was attributed to power surge, that of the storey building was due to poor management of cooking gas that resulted to gas cylinder explosion. 

Confirming the incidents, State Fire Chief, Engr Martin Agbili said his men were on ground to battle the inferno.

He said, “At about 1555hrs (3.55pm) on Tuesday 02-08-2022, Anambra State Fire Service received a distress call of fire outbreak at His Grace, St. John’s Hostel, Ifite, Awka.

“Immediately, we deployed our fire truck and Firefighters to the fire scene and fought, controlled and extinguished the fire. A lot was saved during the fire fighting operations.

“The cause the fire was as a result of Power Surge in one of the rooms. There was no loss of life.

“We left the Fire Scene at about 1715hrs (5.15pm).

“Similarly, at about 1115hrs (11.15am) of Wednesday 03-08-2022, Anambra State Fire Service received a distress call of fire outbreak at Doro club junction Isuniocha close to Isuaniocha bridge.

“Description of scene: A one storey building with a foam store at the ground floor and a one room apartment on the top floor and shops.

“Cause of fire: Power Surge. Damage: The top floor with its roof and ceiling damaged completely with the household items while some shops on the ground floor were partly burnt. We left the fire scene at about 1430hrs (2.30pm)

“In another development, at about 2039hrs (08.39pm) of Wednesday 03-08-2022, Anambra State Fire Service received a distress call of fire outbreak at No. 8 Ken Agummadu Street Off Ngozika Estate Awka.

“Description of premise: A storey building with 4no three bedroom flats. Cause of fire: Poor management of cooking Gas that caused gas cylinder explosion. 

“Description of Damage: The right side of the top floor containing a 3-bedroom flat had the household items in the sitting room completely burnt but the building was saved.

“We left the fire scene at about 2155hrs (9.55pm).”