Fire disaster, which often times result fromfaulty electrical appliances, carelessness, arson, etc, has caused loss of jobs, lives and rendered many Nigerians homeless. It is particularly worse during the dry season as a result of bush burning which could lead to fire outbreaks, among others. PAUL OKAH reports.
On a daily basis, as a result of negligence, carelessness or arson, fire disasters occur in different parts of the country, leading to loss of lives, sources of income or being rendered homeless. Apart from some incidents that go unreported in the media, fire incidents occur on a daily basis, but are known to be frequent and especially devastating during the dry season.
Statistics from Gombe, FCT, Kano
In fact, while speaking with journalists on October 28, this year, the Deputy Operations Officer of the Gombe State Fire Service, Mr. Salihu Doho, said in view of the commencement of dry season, with the possibility of fire outbreaks, materials were now gradually becoming more inflammable because of the change in weather.
He, therefore, called on residents to be more proactive and safety conscious in order to prevent fire disasters in the state during the dry season.
He advised people to cultivate the habit of switching off electrical appliances and unplugging them before leaving their apartments, offices and shops and to keep gas cylinders in an open space to prevent fire disasters.
He said: “We are advising the people of this state to take preventive measures due to the havoc that fire outbreaks can wreak. The damage that fire outbreaks often leave behind is always huge.
We have embarked on sensitisation because we want to save lives and property, while ensuring that minimum damage is recorded should there be any outbreak.
“From the statistics of the operations of the service between January and September, the personnel were able to save up to 350 lives within the state. Three persons were affected with injuries, while we received 196 incident calls. We were able to save property worth more than N955 million, while others worth more than N221million were lost to outbreaks within the period, though no life was lost.”
Similarly, on November 13, while delivering a valedictory lecture titled: “The Impact of Disaster on the Infrastructural Development of FCT, the role of FCT Fire Service and my testimony,” the Assistant Controller General of the FCT Fire Service, Mr. Opetunsin Julius, said the impact of fire disaster on the infrastructure in terms of loss of lives, property, business activities and environmental, has always been colossal.
He said the Service saved property worth over NN3.96 billion, responded to 1,844 fires and136 rescue calls within three years and that, with the timely intervention of FCT Fire Service and other relevant stakeholders, monumental economic losses were brought under control.
“The National Fire Statistics, 2020, indicates that about N2.76 billion was lost this year to fire outbreak in the country. Notable fire outbreak on critical infrastructure in Nigeria in recent times includes; Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC), Auditor General Office, ECOWAS Secretariat, the DSS Headquarters, Kugbo Furniture Market to mention a few,” he said.
Furthermore, in a document obtained by Blueprint Weekend on November 18, throught the PRO of FCT Fire Service, Mr. Jerry Timveh, between January and October, this year (November statistics was not ready), the Service received 369 fire calls, 26 rescue call, saved N2656.2m, lost N871.27m saved 110 lives, while 17 lives were lost.
Also, in a statement on November 4, the Public Relations Officer of the Kano state fire service, Mr. Saidu Muhammad, listed careless handling of cooking gas, inferior electrical appliances and poor wiring as major causes of fire incidents in the state and that the service saved 132 lives and property worth N16.5 million in 41 fire incidents in different parts of the state from October 1 to October 31.
Victim recounts ordeal
Speaking in a phone interview with Blueprint Weekend, a victim of fire disaster in Afikpo North LGA of Ebonyi state, Mr. Onuu Okah, who is a driver with the Ebonyi state Transport Corporation (EBOTRANS), said he lost all his belongings to a fire outbreak on November 7, while his wife is still battling for her life after fire razed down their one-storey building and left about 10 tenants with severe burns.
He said: “I am a driver with Ebonyi state Transport Corporation. On the day of the incident, I returned to my house around 11.20:00pm on November 6. I cleaned my car and went in to sleep because I had to be at work early. Around 2:00am, I was woken by a noise and saw fire in front of my door.
At first, I was speechless, but I summoned up the courage to go out. The fire was burning from the passage through the staircase upstairs. I was afraid, but I went outside through the fire with my child, not knowing I had not even woken my wife up.
“One of my neighbours was throwing his children down from upstairs. It was a pathetic situation. I heard my wife shouting from inside.
The fire was already going into the living room. As my wife struggled to come out through the passage, she was entrapped by the fire. I dashed in and dragged her out. By then, she had been badly burnt, so I took her to a clinic. About 10 occupants of the building were affected and some of us are still in different hospitals.
“All the while, I was only in my boxers. So, I returned to the house and to my surprise, everything had been burnt down. I did not bring anything out of the apartment, but thank God we are still breathing, even though my wife’s situation is more severe than mine and we later realised that it was the handiwork of assailants.
“As we speak, the clothes I have on were given to me by somebody. I have lost everything; I only came out of the building in my boxers. My wife is still in the hospital and the bills are piling up. That’s the situation I have found myself in as the year is coming to an end.
Feeding is even a major issue now. I’m not feeling fine. I have lost so many things as a result of this incident. I had three rooms fitted with all manner of state-of-the-art items; but all is gone. My car was vandalised and my wife’s shop was razed down, among other damages. I lost up to N11m to this incident.”
FG’s sensitisation campaign
On October 23, the federal government, through the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, in celebration of the 2020 International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction, flagged off a sensitisation campaign ahead of the dry season.
At the event held in Abuja, the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Hajia Sadia Umar Farouq, said October 23, every year, has been set aside by the United Nations to raise awareness, educate the public and mobilise political will and resources in ensuring disaster risk reduction globally.
“The ministry’s focus is on strengthening the existing strategies for disaster risk reduction and to facilitate the development of new ones, where there are gaps, in line with international best practices, as contained in the Sendai Disaster Risk Reduction, 2015.
Today, we are translating the call for disaster risk reduction into action and departing from the normal rhetoric in making international days with speeches.
“Hence, the ministry has organised this simulated fire exit drill, which focuses on raising awareness among the public and private organisations as well as mitigating the risks of fire, especially in the high rising buildings.
“The purpose of the fire exit/evacuation drill is to ensure effective and efficient use of the exit facilities available in case of emergencies. Such drills ensure orderly exit under control and prevention of panic that has been responsible for much of the loss of life in major fire disasters.
We are poised to continue a sustained sensitisation of the general public to guide against unforeseen fire disaster,” she said.
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