By Sylvia Kodilichukwu, Enugu
Fire fighters from Enugu State Fire Service have extinguished a fire outbreak in a foam-ladened packing store within Ogbete Main Market, Enugu, on Monday, June 2.
The swift response of the state fire service denied the fire, from the highly inflammable foam materials, moving from the affected single packing store to hundreds of packing stores and shops within the market at about 1:20 p.m. it started.
Director of the Service, Chief Okwudili Ohaa, said that the rapid response of the fire fighting team at about 1:25 p.m. rescued the entire market from a major disaster.
According to him, “within five minutes of receiving the distress call from the Chairman of Enugu North LGA, Dr Ibenaku Onoh, and other concerned citizens, we arrived the scene.
“In less than 10 minutes battling the raging fire with our officers attached to the Ogbete Main Market Fire Station, those from our headquarters in Ogui, market vigilante/security group, we contained the fire from the packing store it started.
“The packing store is on top of the usual shops. So, no trading shop was affected.
“No life was lost. The valuables destroyed were few foams.”
Ohaa, who is also the Chief Fire Officer of the state, thanked the Chairman and other citizens for their swift call as well as other organisations and individuals that contributed to the extinguishing of the fire.
He attributed the cause of the inferno to probably electrical surge, adding, “We discovered crowded electrical wiring in the affected packing store.”
He, however, urged the authorities of Ogbete Main Market to restore the original master plan of the market, which made provision for an access way into the market and a fire station space with accompanying fire truck and other equipment.
“As I speak to you, the fire truck of the market provided by the state government is at the headquarters; since there is no space to park it in the market.
“And if you do park the truck in the market, there is no access route for it to move swiftly, as traders’ wares occupy large portion of the major access routes in the market,” he said.
