Residents along Lower Erejuwa Road by Ope Junction, Warri, Delta State are lamenting the early morning fire that razed down two buildings last Friday, especially the inability of Delta State Fire Fighters to put off the fire.
While the fire was raging, helpless neighbours attempted to help but unable, while owners of the goods were crying over their loss. This is even as vandals had a free day looting goods and properties worth several millions of naira.
Chief Paul Obire, a land lord in Ope and former football coach of the defunct NNPC Football Club, Warri, said that the fire broke out of one of the affected compounds when power was restored by Benin Electricity Distribution Company (BEDC) about 1a.m on the fateful day after three days of power outage.
Obire stated that the fire fighters whose station is located in the neighbourhood, responded almost immediately but only for them to complain that their fire truck did not have water to put out the fire.
”The fire fighters left and did not come back. In the past, fire fighters who have such a challenge reached out to other sister fire stations in SPDC, NPA and NNPC, but the Delta State government fire fighters did not do. Fire services are essential and that they should be efficient in order to minimize the effects of such fire disasters”, he lamented.
Obire frowned at the activities of some unscrupulous persons involved in looting of goods and properties of victims during and after the fire disaster, saying this shows the level of hunger and poverty in the country.
Corroborating, chairman of Lower Erejuwa Road, Motor Spare Parts Traders Association 11, Charles Okorie berated the Delta State Fire Station in Warri for its deficiency in combating the inferno. He complained that over N300 million was lost in the fire incident.
He appealed to the Delta State government, Warri South local government council, corporate organizations and public spirited individuals to render assistance to victims.
A victim, Elder Daniel Okeke, complained that he lost his means of livelihood in the inferno.
“My case is made worse by hoodlums who looted my burnt, unburnt goods and working equipment before l arrived the scene of the incident.”
Another resident who simply identified himself as a cleric, observed that the fire fighters had problems with the water pumping mechanism of their truck just as Mrs Tega Isaac, who is a tenant in one of the burnt compound, complained in tears that she and her family have been rendered homeless by the inferno.
“We were unable to savage any of our property. All we were concerned with was the safety of our lives. Governor Oborevwori should come to the aid of victims,” she said.
Though no life was lost in the fire disaster, head of Delta State Fire Station in Warri, who identified himself as M. K lgbinoba confirmed that the fighting truck developed equipment failure hence they went back to their station without combating the fire.
“l have sent for a mechanic to put the said equipment in order and l have reported the matter to the headquarters of fire service in Asaba,” he stated.
Disturbed by the disclosure, a member of Delta State Peace Building And Advisory Council, Chief Ambassador Michael Ezeh led a delegation of some Delta State Government’s appointees on an assessment visit to the site of the inferno on Saturday.
Noting that the extent of destruction of the inferno was massive, he sympathised with victims that they should summon courage to overcome their loses.
He promised to relay his assessment and appeal for assistance by the victims to Governor Oborevwori for consideration. “Governor Oborevwori is a kind hearted leader. He will come to the aid of victims.”
Another member of the committee, Francis Onuora, advised that traders and tenants should always be mindful of the connection of their electrical appliances and that they should ensure that their electrical appliances are switched off when they are not at home or stores.
A similar fire incident occured at the nearby 14 Lower Erejuwa Road in 2019, and former Governor Ifeanyi Okowa dolled out N20 million to victims to ameliorate their sufferings.
