7th January, 2022
By Uchenna Ugwu
At least 32 rooms, household property and documents were razed on Thursday night in Obeagu Iniymagu Village in Abakaliki Local Government Area of Ebonyi.
Items destroyed in the inferno included water tanks, power generator sets, refrigerators, ceiling and standing fans and sewing machines.
The value of the items has yet to be ascertained.
Police Inspector Udo Aniekan, one of the victims, said all his educational certificates were destroyed.
“When I got a call from my son about the incident , I called the Police Control Room and my colleagues helped to reach out to the State Fire Service for rescue.
“I lost all my household property, children documents, everything I have were razed,” Aniekan lamented.
Another victim, Mr Solomon Odeh, said he also lost vital items, including land documents and certificates, as well as an undisclosed amount of money.
“I was in my village when I got a call that our apartments are on fire.
“I occupy two rooms in the building; everything I worked for, such as my two refrigerators, generator, cloths and other household property went up in flames” Odeh said.
Reacting, the Director, Ebonyi State Fire Service, Mr Raphael Ibiam, confirmed the incident, describing it as unfortunate.
According to him, five similar fire cases had been recorded in January 2022 alone and enjoined residents to clean their surroundings and report incidents promptly.
Also reacting, the Special Assistant to the Governor on Special Project, Mr Edwin Onwe, pleaded with the residents to avoid whatever that could cause fire.