Irate Youths Attack, Injure Fire Fighters, Damage Vehicle at Onitsha over Late Response

By Praise Chinecherem 

Men of fire service in Anambra State were on Sunday attacked by some unidentified persons, predominantly youths in Onitsha, commercial city of the state.

The victims who were on rescue mission around Uga junction by Atani road, following distress call of fire incident, sustained varying degrees of injury while their truck windscreens and side glasses were damaged.

Anambra Daily learnt that the angry youths who accused the fire men of late arrival, reportedly pelted stones, sticks and irons on them, leaving some of them injured, and windscreen of their trucks shattered.

Confirming the incident, Fire Chief, Engr Martin Agbili described it as unfortunate, insisting the preparators must be arrested and prosecuted.

He said although no life was lost, but his men who escaped the mob attack by whiskers while the stone pelting persisted, sustained varying degrees of injury.

He said, “I really want to show my utmost dismay on this ugly experience metted on Anambra State Fire Service on 01-01-2023 at Uga Junction by Atani Road, Onitsha. It was a massive mob attack on our Fire Truck and our Firefighters.

“On Sunday 1st January, 2023 at about 1800hours, Anambra State Fire Service, received a distress call of fire incident at Uga junction by Atani road. 

“Immediately, our Fire truck and Fireghters were deployed to the scene. On arrival to the fire scene, the mob attacked us. They threw stones, sticks and irons to us.

“Unfortunately, they shattered the windscreen of our fire trucks, the side glasses and also wounded some firefighters.

“As they started throwing stones on the fire truck while the fire was still on, what we could hear was, “is it now that you people are coming to fight the fire?”

“As the throwing of stones, sticks and irons increased, we managed to escape the mob attack with our shattered windscreen and some injured Firefighters. 

“This gift of new year is really unfortunate, that our hardworking firefighters will be welcomed to the new year with this barbaric act. The preparators of this ugly act will surely be brought to book. 

“Now that you people have destroyed our fire truck and wounded our firefighters, if there is another fire outbreak in that area or within that axis, I hope they will still call Fire Service to come to their rescue as usual.

“Why are you beating Firefighters; Are they the cause of the fire? Are they at the fire scene when the fire started? Must Firefighters disappear and appear at the fire scene immediately they are called?

“Do you know the distance of the fire station to the fire scene? When you claim that firefighters arrived at the fire scene late, at what time did you call them? When you destroy those you run to when you are in need, who will you run again to?