Fire Service Averts Disaster At Enugu Market, Cautions Traders

Posted by African Examiner Latest Headlines, News Across Nigeria, News From The State Saturday, January 4th, 2020

From Ignatius Okpara, Enugu

(AFRICAN EXAMINER) – Fire disaster was on Friday averted at the popular Ogbete Main market Enugu, South- East Nigeria, as it nearly went up in flames, but for the prompt response of combined efforts of the State Fire service, traders and market security personnel the inferno was extinguished.

Immediately traders and other passerby raised the alarm over the inferno, the combined team of the state fire men and the market security personal acted promptly, using fire extinguishers of various sizes provided by governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi to the market.

African Examiner recalls that Enugu State Fire Service led by Engr Okwudiri Daniel Ohaa, had recently embarked on sensitization and education of traders on how to combat fire out breaks using fire extinguishers provided for them by the state government.

“That training paid of today when the traders and security men led by one Mr. Fela, used the knowledge gained from the fire training program to put out the inferno and stop it from escalating.” said a trader.

Our correspondent reports that the fire which started at a foam shop rampaging to adjoining shops was immediately averted by traders, who made good use of the fire extinguishers installed in all corners of the market to combat the fire promptly before arrival of the state fire service.

Speaking at the scene of the incident, the Chief Fire Officer, Enugu State, Engr. Okwudiri Ohaa, expressed happiness that the traders lived up to expectation by putting their fire training knowledge by the State Fire service to work before his men could arrive the scene.

Engr. Ohaa, however, appealed to traders to be careful and always be on the lookout, especially this harmattan period to avoid fire disaster in the market emphasizing that the market authority should make the roads leading to and around the market accessible to fire trucks in case of any eventuality.

The fire boss regretted that his men fought so hard for about half an hour to gain access into the market.

He expressed appreciation to governor Ugwuanyi, for the provision of fire extinguishers in the market, as well as his support to the State Fire Service, adding that his proactive measures was what saved the near ugly situation.