The Chief Fire Officer of Enugu State, Mr Okwudili Ohaa, said timely intervention of Fire Service saved INEC headquarters from burning down completely.
Ohaa told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Enugu on Monday that five INEC operational vehicles were completely burnt and one was partially burnt.
NAN reports that fire, whose cause is yet to be identified, broke out at the INEC headquarters in Enugu, located at No. 1 Achi Street, Independent Layout, at about 9:30 p.m.
He said that fire-fighters from the state’s fire service were able to put off the fire at about 10:30 p.m.
“Our timely intervention saved INEC headquarters Enugu from burning completely.
“We were able to quench the fire immediately as it tried to spread to the main building of the INEC Headquarters.
“It only gutted two seats, probably visitors seats at the corridors upstairs,’’ he said.
Earlier, the state’s Commissioner of Police, Mr Mohammed Aliyu, told NAN at about 11p.m. on Sunday that he was on ground and taking control of the efforts to put off the fire.
Several calls made to INEC officials, especially the state’s Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), his
deputies as well as INEC state Public Relations Officer were not answered.
NAN recalls that on May 13, there was a fire outbreak at the INEC area office located at Orba community in Udenu Local Government Area of the state at about 9:40 p.m, which police are currently investigating.
The headquarters of the Commission had on Sunday night been gutted by fire, barely one week after the office in Obollo-Afor, Udenu was razed.
The office is located at number 1 Achi Street by Agric Bank Bus stop in Independence Layout, Enugu.
The Commissioner of Police in the state, Mr Mohammed Aliyu, confirmed the incident in a telephone interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).
The commissioner, who did not respond to further questions, said that he was still at the scene of the incident to save the office from the disaster.
NAN however, gathered at the time of filing this report, that the Enugu State Fire Service as well as the
Federal Fire Service were also doing everything possible to quench the fire.
Several calls made to INEC officials especially the state’s Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Dr Emeka Ononamadu and the Public Relations Officer by NAN were not picked.
More details to follow as more facts emerge. (NAN)
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