On Monday, a fire broke out near Mile 50 Layout in Abakaliki, destroying property worth millions of naira.
In the incident, a residential building and more than seven shops were destroyed.
The Federal Fire Service, Ebonyi Command, confirmed the fire outbreak, saying it happened at Aliugbala-Eze Street, near Eze and Bros Junction.
No one was killed or injured, according to Yakubu Zekeri, Assistant Superintendent of Fire in the Command, according to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).
He noted that the quick arrival of firemen at the scene limited the fire’s spread.
Property worth millions of naira was damaged, according to Mr Zekeri, who led the firefighters to the scene.
“For the time being, we can’t pinpoint the cause of the fire, but one of the tenants claims it was caused by an electrical spark.”
“We’re still doing a ‘damping down,’ and once that’s done, we’ll know what caused the fire,” he said.
Mr Zekeri advised residents to make it a habit to turn off their electrical appliances when they leave the house or go to bed.
“This will help them avoid the risk of a fire breaking out in their homes if there is a power outage,” he said.
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He reminded residents that the country was in the harmattan season, which, due to its dry nature, is prone to fire outbreaks.
“We are in the midst of the dry season, which is a high-risk period for wildfires. I urge residents to contact firefighters immediately if they see any signs of fire. He advised, “Do not wait for it to get worse before calling us.”
Calistus Akogu, a police officer who was one of the victims of the fire, said the fire destroyed all of his documents and other valuables.
“I was at work when my wife called to tell me about the fire, but by the time I got home, all of my belongings had been destroyed.”
“Apart from my children and wife, all I have now is the cloth on my back.” “I’ve lost everything else,” Mr Akaogu explained.
