Coalition Of South East Youth Leaders Leaders (COSEYL) has called for probe into fire incident that destroyed goods worth millions of naira in Aba.
Reports has it that the fire outbreak which occurred on Tuesday 29th October, 2019 started exactly by 6.00pm at No 21 Asa road Aba, Abia state when the traders occupying the shops have closed for the day’s business.
Reacting in a statement signed by Chief Goodluck Egwu Ibem, President General of COSEYL, the group call on the security agencies to probe the cause of the fire and unravel what lead to such incident by that time of the day in a shop that has no electricity connected to it.
“We call on the security agencies to probe the cause of the fire. The fire destroyed so many goods and valuables before people and the Abia state fire service came to assist control the inferno.
“The fire was difficult to control because it started in a shop filled with electrical cables, cartons, plastic fans, extension wires and other rubber products that are very combustible to fire. As of 10:00pm of that day , the fire could not go-off completely.
“Frank Whyte Lighting World an electrical shop that is owned by Mrs Franka Emmanuel , a widow with 5 children lost goods worth N100 million naira to the fire outbreak yesterday. She got credit facility from her supplier and loans from their monthly contribution meeting to stock her shop with goods and now everything is destroyed in the inferno. She bought larger quantities of goods last week Friday before this unfortunate incident happened yesterday.
“When the fire started she almost threw her self into the fire but for the quick intervention of the people around who held her and took her out of the place something usually may have happened.
“The state government should provide more modern and big fire fighting vehicles , borehole in the premises of the fire service department of Aba. Yesterday only one vehicle was functional and their only source of getting water was from Nigerian Breweries Company which is not supposed to be so. The agency should be properly equipped for quality service especially now that we are in ember months when there are lots of business activities.
“Abia State Fire Service Aba branch controls 9 local government areas of the old Aba region and it is the commercial nerve center of the state with 7 big markets like Ariaria International Market, Ahia Ohuru Market at Ngwa road, Cemetry Market, Ekeoha Shopping Center, Alaoji Flyover Market, Uratta Integrated Timber Market, Phone and electrical market and other roads doing good businesses deserve functional modern vehicles to fight fire when the need arises. Its shocking to discover that the is no crane for the Fire service department.
“It should be made mandatory for every shop and house to have good fire extinguisher for their personal use. The series of recent fire outbreaks is an eye-opener for the people to know how important it is to have a fire extinguisher.
“We call on the Father of the Nation President Mohammadu Buhari, the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development Hajia Sadiya Umar Farouq, the Abia state Government and other relevant authorities to come to the aid of this widow who lost everything to the inferno.
