Firefighters Helpless As Fire Razes Former JFM Building In Delta
At about 8:43pm when our Correspondent arrived at the scene, officials from the Delta State Command’s Fire Fighting Service had run short of water and could not contain the fire.
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| JFM building in Effurun |
A fire outbreak in the former JFM building in Effurun, Delta State, has engulfed sections of the structure, sparking concerns about its potential to spread rapidly to nearby buildings.
Details of the cause of the fire are still sketchy at the time of filing this report.
At about 8:43pm when our Correspondent arrived at the scene, officials from the Delta State Command’s Fire Fighting Service had run short of water and could not contain the fire.
The Police were, however, on standby to forestall any breakdown of law and order and check looting by hoodlums.
The fire has reportedly also razed razed Current FM radio station also being housed by the building.
At the time of this report on Saturday afternoon, the building has continued to smoulder with smoke emanating from the four-storey building.
The cause of the fire is still unknown.
In an interview with our correspondent at the scene, Chairman of Current FM, Moses Samuel confirmed the unfortunate incident.
“Well, actually I was at the Uvwie Local Government Council when I was called that a fire outbreak was up in my station and so, I quickly put a call through.
“At that point, the Staff on duty had already gone into the studio for 7pm news. When you’re inside the live studio, you really won’t know what’s happening across the building. It was a call from outside to call people and the admin saw the fire.”
He said, “The truth is that nobody even knows the source of the fire. We just noticed this from the admin account office. Fire emanating from the A/C.”
According to Samuel, “I think in my own, it’s light because we’re using inverter and inverter is such that the moment NEPA brings light, it automatically switches.
“So, in my own thought, it’s like the power they brought was too heavy. We have a 30KVA power regulator. It blew the regulator and I think the small A/C triggered that. I want to think that’s what sparked the fire. They had used a fire extinguisher to stint the fire but suddenly, the A/C blew. With that fear, they ran out of the property, the office block. You know, they couldn’t even carry more extinguishers. They were just 3 on duty outside the security man.”
“I called the Fire Service, 5 minutes after 7pm. They never came until to 9pm and at that point, the fire had taken a toll on the property. When they came, they were practically struggling to quench the fire.
“The Shell Fire Service came about 10pm and at that point, damages had been done.
“As I speak with you, outside the lives of the people, nothing came out. Out of the lives, nothing came out. But in all, I want to give God thanks. Human lives cannot be recovered. Properties obviously can be recovered.
“And so, we want to appreciate God, appreciate everybody who came in the Uvwie Council Chairman, Hon. Anthony Ofoni, he was here, DPO of Enerhen Police Station and so many other persons came in, Vigilante everybody came in. They did their best. I want to especially appreciate them. No lives. Whatever, God knows. In God’s time can be recovered.”
Prince Samuel appealed to the Governor Sheriff Oborevwori led Delta State Government through the Ministry of Information, the Uvwie and Warri South Local Government Councils, good-spirited individuals, philanthropists and Non-Governmental Organisations, NGOs to come and assist the establishment to bounce back to business again.
“So, we call on the government, if they can give us some support to get the station back, it will be indeed a plus for good men, women, God-filled hearted men to help because nothing actually came out. And you know the way insurance companies behave in Nigeria, it will take a process for them to come and start saying they want to do anything. But we want to get back to business as soon as we can.”
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