A fire outbreak on Wednesday razed a one room apartment and destroyed property worth over N2 million at Ologo New Layout in Enugu North Local Government Area of Enugu State.
Eyewitness report showed that the inferno was caused by bush burning, which extended to a refuse dump close to the building.
It took the efforts of neighbours and Federal Fire Service officials to put the inferno under control and no life was lost.
Another eyewitness, Ngozi Onyebuchi, said some boys who noticed the fire inside the apartment raised the alarm, which attracted other neighbours.
She said the cause of the fire was not far from the burning of refuse very close to the building.
Onyebuchi said: “When they were shouting for help, unfortunately the owner of the house was not around, but some people managed to jump in through the fence.
“It started around 7:45pm when the owner of the building and family were still at their shop.”
Speaking on the incident, Ifeanyi Mbionu, the Operational Head, Federal Fire Service, said they received a distress call on the incident and rushed to the area.
Mbionu said the service drove to the scene but before arrived, the building had completely been engulfed by the fire.
He said: “Traffic and bad roads are major challenges to our work in the state and most of the drivers, especially tricycle riders, will not leave the road when they hear our siren.”
The Manager, however, urged residents of the state to cut grasses around their homes, especially during dry season, and avoid indiscriminate burning of refuse around residential areas.
Recounting the losses, the owner of the building, Emeka Iheonu, said he lost everything in the apartment to the fire.
According to Iheonu: “Someone set fire on a refuse and it burn down to my building and destroyed the boys quarter and property in it.
“I was still in my office when a neighbour called to tell me that my house was on fire and when I came, I saw the building in flames.
“I lost everything in it, including the building, but I am happy that no life was lost and the fire did not touch the main building.”
Iheonu lauded the neighbours and fire service officials for their quick response.
NAN reports that before the State Fire Service officials arrived, the fire had almost been controlled.
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