The fire was caused by a fully loaded petrol tanker trying to link Inalende area, the adjoining street towards Mokola roundabout of the metropolis.
The tanker driver lost control of the vehicle, which tumbled and spilled fuel, which ignited the inferno
According to an eyewitness, the driver had to take the densely populated area due to the closure of the Mokola Road because of the construction of the overhead bridge at Mokola area, when it suddenly fell and spilled off its content
He added that when the tanker fell, most of the occupants of the affected building as well as shops owners had to rush out, adding that it did not take long before the entire area was engulfed with thick smoke. “You know how petrol fire spreads now”.
Asked whether there was any casualty, he responded by saying, “That I cannot ascertain but I know property worth millions were destroyed in building the fire affected . I also heard an old man was in one of the affected houses, we have not confirmed whether the old man died. We were all scared because of the intensity of the fire ”.
As a result of the fire outbreak, there was heavy traffic snarl as motorists had to make a detour from the route. As at the time of filing this report men of the State Fire Service were still being expected.
…INEC headquarters in flames too
From FRED ITUA and YUSUF OLAYINKA KAYODE, Abuja
Fire gutted some parts of the administrative building at the corporate headquarters of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), yesterday destroying furniture, computers and documents.
When Daily Sun correspondent visited the scene of the incident, it was discovered that part of the complex affected by the fire incident had been condoned off to enable firefighters to put out the fire. Smoke was still billowing from the affected building.
According to a senior management staff of INEC, smoke was noticed at about 1.20pm.
The staff further revealed that three Federal Fire Service trucks reported and brought the fire under control. The affected building houses the ICT, Voter Registry, Operations, Legal , Alternative Dispute Resolution and Political Party Monitoring departments.
The fire was noticed on the last floor of the building and badly affected the office of the director in-charge of Alternative Dispute Resolution who was recently redeployed to head the Legal Unit. Computers, documents were destroyed in the office. As at the time Daily Sun visited the scene, all the INEC staff in the affected building had been evacuaated.
Other companies including some banks operating within the affected complex closed down. Security was also beefed up in and around the complex as anti-riot policemen and officers of the Department of State services had taken over major entry/exit points linking up INEC complex.
A statement released by the commission and signed by the Chief Press Sexretary to the INEC Chairman, Mr Kayode Idowu reads: “There was a minor fire incident at about mid-day today, yesterday at the headquarters of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Abuja.”
The fire occurred in the office of former Director in-charge of Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR), located in the ICT Building, and was restricted to that office when it was put out. “Men of the Fire Service attached to the Commission swiftly responded to put the fire out. There was no damage whatsoever to any vital facility of the Commission.
Formal investigation of the cause of the fire has commenced. Initial assessment, however, suggests that it might have resulted from an electrical fault.”
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