TheNewsGuru

Tag: Fire

  • Just in: Explosion rocks Abuja satellite town

    Just in: Explosion rocks Abuja satellite town

    At least one person has reportedly sustained injuries in an explosion that hit Dawaki in the Bwari Local Government Area of Nigeria’s Federal Capital Territory.

    It was gathered that the incident happened at about 8:30 am on Friday.

    One of the residents of the area told an online medium that there was a loud bang at a one-bedroom apartment that had two male occupants.

    The resident said though an occupant claimed that it was a cooking gas explosion, there was no smell of gas.

    The source said, “We heard a loud blast sound within Dawaki. The noise emanated from a one-bedroom apartment with two male occupants. One of the occupants was injured and taken to the National Hospital, Abuja for treatment.

    The second occupant alleged that it was a cooking gas explosion. However, there was no smell of gas, no fire, and the kitchen window (circled in the picture) was spared while other windows of the flat were damaged.

    “Issue already incidented at Dawaki police station. However, I am of the opinion that a bomb ordnance squad from the FCT command needs to visit the scene to assert the true cause of this early explosion.”

    However, all efforts to reach Josephine Adeh, the FCT police spokesperson, were not successful as she didn’t answer calls or reply to messages sent to her mobile line.

  • Two k!lled, oil refinery on fire after drone attacks

    Two k!lled, oil refinery on fire after drone attacks

    Multiple air attacks on the Russian border region of Belgorod adjoining Ukraine on Saturday killed two people and injured at least seven, the governor said.

    Further east, an overnight drone attack on the Samara region caused a fire at a major oil refinery, the latest in a series of strikes against Russia’s fuel industry.

    Belgorod governor Vyacheslav Gladkov wrote on Telegram that two districts in his region as well as the regional capital, also called Belgorod, had been hit in drone and air attacks.

    “It’s shaping up to be a difficult morning.

    “As a result of an air attack by Ukrainian armed forces on Belgorod, three balconies collapsed in an apartment building. One of these apartments was occupied by a married couple. To much grief, the man died from his injuries on the spot,” Gladkov said.

    He posted a photo of a residential building with the facade partially destroyed.

    Another person was killed in a drone attack on districts outside the city, he said.

    In the Samara region – 1,000 kilometres (620 miles) away from the front lines in eastern — the local governor reported “several drone attacks” on local oil refineries.

    The refinery, run by Russian oil giant Rosneft, is one of the largest in the region, with a production capacity of seven million tonnes per year, according to its official website.

    A drone attack on another refinery in the region, Novokuibyshevsk, “was repelled without damaging the technological equipment”, Azarov said.

    The attacks came 24 hours after Russia unleashed one of its largest aerial barrages of the two-year conflict, hitting dozens of Ukrainian energy sites and leaving more than a million temporarily without power.

    Ukraine’s air force said it had downed 31 of 34 Russian drones fired at its territory overnight, while Russia’s defence ministry said it had intercepted 12 Ukrainian drones.

    Ukraine, which has been facing a Russian offensive for over two years, has stepped up its attacks inside Russia in recent weeks, targeting energy sites in particular.

    Russia has also launched a barrage of what it calls “retaliatory” attacks, targeting Ukraine’s energy sector and the capital Kyiv in recent days.

  • Video: Shops burnt as fire breaks out at Idumota market

    Video: Shops burnt as fire breaks out at Idumota market

    Fire erupted at the popular Idumota market in Lagos state in the early hours of Monday 20, leaving shops burnt.

    The fire engulfed three buildings, including two 2-storey structures and one three-storey building.

    In a video making the rounds, fire service operatives were seen in the area with onlookers, making efforts to put out the fire.

    As of the time of writing this report, the cause of the fire was unknown.

    See the video below:

  • Fire guts 2 substation transformers in Kano

    Fire guts 2 substation transformers in Kano

    Kano State Fire Service has confirmed that an inferno has razed down two substation transformers at the Transmission Company, Dan’agundi, in Kano Municipal.

    The Public Relations Officer of the service, Alhaji Saminu Abdullahi, confirmed the incident on Sunday.

    He said the incident occurred on Sunday evening at around 4.00 pm.

    ”We received a distress call at about 04:10 p.m from one  Mr Umar, that there was a fire outbreak at the Dan’agundi substation.

    “Upon receiving the information, we quickly sent a fire vehicle to the scene, to bring the situation under control.

    “Transformer one(TR one) with 60 MVA capacity and transformer two(TR two) 60 MVA capacity with one crane caught fire,” he said

    Abdullahi said the fire was  caused by a technical team working at the site of the transformer.

    He further confirmed that there was no life lost and no one sustained injury.

  • Man sets self on fire in front of Israeli embassy

    Man sets self on fire in front of Israeli embassy

    A man set himself on fire outside Israel’s embassy in Washington, DC, on Sunday afternoon in an apparent act of protest.

    The person was hospitalised with life-threatening injuries.

    No one else was harmed in the incident, Israel’s foreign ministry told The Times of Israel.

    The demonstrator was not immediately identified.

    First responders arrived on the scene around 1 p.m. (1800 GMT), according to DC Fire and Emergency Medical Services (EMS).

    Secret Service members extinguished the blaze and the man was rushed to a local hospital.

    Investigators searched the man’s vehicle “as a precaution,’’ a Secret Service spokesperson told the Chicago Sun-Times.

    Several first responders were seen outside the embassy.

    This is the second persons setting themselves on fire outside an Israeli building in the US during Israel’s war on Hamas in Gaza.

    A woman on Dec. 1 self-immolated outside the Israeli consulate in Atlanta (in the U.S. state of Georgia).

    One security guard there was injured as he tried to stop her from harming herself.

    A Palestinian flag was reportedly found on the ground.

  • Sad! Anambra market on fire as trader shot dead

    Sad! Anambra market on fire as trader shot dead

    There was confusion late Friday at the Science Equipment Market, Onitsha Bridgehead in Anambra as operatives of the Anambra State Anti-Touting Squad allegedly shot one person dead and injured several others.

    It was gathered that trouble started at the market when the operatives invaded the area in search of someone who was said to have urinated in a restricted area and ran into the market for cover.

    Eyewitnesses said the operatives shot indiscriminately for over two hours while in the market resulting in the traders scampering to safety, leading to destruction and looting of people’s goods.

    On Saturday, one of the traders who simply identified himself as Okonkwo said, “Yesterday, was a black Friday in this market, the operatives killed a man simply because he urinated along the Onitsha-Asaba Expressway.

    “After urinating, the boy ran into the market as the operatives chased him. When they entered the market, they started shooting. This caused pandemonium in the market as many sellers and buyers in the market sustained severe injuries while scampering to safety.

    “Stray bullets hit two people who were rushed to the hospital after they had left. The victims sell drugs at Ogboogwu market. People’s goods were also destroyed and looted. They sealed our toilets and started collecting money from anyone they saw who urinated outside. This is the cause of the problem.”

    When contacted, the Anambra State Police Command’s spokesman, DSP Tochukwu Ikenga, confirmed the incident, adding that the state Commissioner of Police, Aderemi Adeoye, has ordered a probe into the development.

    “The Commissioner of Police, CP Adeoye has ordered the immediate transfer of a reported murder incident that happened at the head bridge market by 4:30 pm, on Friday.

    “Our officers led by the DPO head bridge, on receipt of the information, moved to the scene and saw a young man in a pool of blood while another was injured.

    “The victims were rushed to the hospital where the doctor confirmed one dead. The police also recovered six expended cartridges from the scene. Further details shall be communicated, please,” Ikenga added.

    In a related event in December 2023, there was pandemonium along the Onitsha-Owerri Road by Obodoukwu Junction, Onitsha, Anambra State, when a stray bullet from some gun-wielding men wearing black jackets suspected to be operatives of the Anambra State Anti-touts Agency killed a young man.

    It was gathered that the victim identified as Chimezie from Achina, Aguata Local Government Area of the state, was standing at the balcony of his residence by the Shoe Site, near Okpoko Police Station, in Ogbaru Local Government Area, when the stray bullet hit him.

    He was said to have just completed his mandatory one-year national service.

  • Fire razes Kwara High Court building

    Fire razes Kwara High Court building

    The main building of the Kwara State High Court complex in Ilorin was on Tuesday morning gutted by fire.

    The Spokesman for the State Fire Service, Hassan Adekunle, confirmed the incident in a statement made available to newsmen in Ilorin.

    Adekunle stated that the agency received a distress call over the incident at about 07.33hours and responded swiftly.

    The statement read in part: “Responding swiftly, the fire crew rushed to the scene to find the imposing State High Court building ablaze.

    “This building, housing 40 offices and three open courtrooms, was in peril, with the registry department and litigation office particularly affected by the inferno.

    “With commendable courage and determination, the firefighters immediately commenced their efforts to combat the raging flames.

    “Working tirelessly, they skillfully navigated through the burning structure, deploying their expertise and resources to contain and extinguish the fire.

    “Despite the daunting challenges they faced, they succeeded in saving the Court from complete ruin, preventing what could have been a catastrophic loss.

    “Subsequent investigation into the cause of the fire revealed that it was triggered by a power surge, highlighting the importance of electrical safety measures,” the statement read.

    “The fire incident affected 40 offices, three open courts and registry department.

    The statement quoted the Director,  Kwara State Fire Service, Falade Olumuyiwa, to have “urged the public to prioritise safety awareness and precautions in their daily activities.

    “This call to action underscores the critical role that vigilance and preparedness play in preventing such tragedies from occurring in the future,” it added.

  • TNG SPECIAL REPORT: Tales of woe from Lagos plank market fire

    TNG SPECIAL REPORT: Tales of woe from Lagos plank market fire

    On Saturday, February 3rd, 2024 when traders closed their shops at the sawmill and plank market located at Awori bus stop, Abule Egba, Lagos State, to retire for the weekend, it never occurred to them that disaster looms.

    It was on Sunday, at about 16:20 hrs, that the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) received a distress call via its toll-free emergency numbers; a call which happened to be from the sawmill and plank market.

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports the sawmill market at Awori bus stop in Abule Egba is one big community divided into three parts: the sawmill and planks association, the mechanics association, and the recycling association.

    Within hours, the massive plank market was gutted to ashes, leaving traders in a state of complete shock. The arrival of LASEMA fire unit and the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service did little to nothing to arrest the blazing inferno. Damage was already done.

    How the Lagos plank market fire started

    Investigations revealed that the fire was caused by a high-tension cable that detached and dropped on dry plywood in the market. The cable, it was gathered, ignited the plywood immediately, erupting into an inferno that spread across the whole market.

    Speaking with TNG, Chairmen of the various market associations, lamenting their losses, gave insights on what happened on the 4th of February, 2024 when the market was engulfed in flames after the high-tension cable fell from the pole.

    Mr Segun Alao, the Chairman of the mechanics association of the market, stated that the fire started around 3:00 pm and that only the security guards with the people monitoring the market were on ground.

    “The fire incident happened last Sunday at about 3:00 pm. Nobody works here on Sundays, except for the security guards and people we have here to monitor the market. The cable fell and before anyone could do anything, the fire consumed everything,” Mr Alao said.

    While Alao described the incident as sad and devastating, Mr Olayinde Abiodun, Chairman of the sawmill and planks sellers’ association of the market, described the fire incident as completely unbelievable.

    The Chairman of the sawmill and planks sellers’ association of the market claimed the damage caused by the inferno at their section of the market was over a billion Naira.

    “I am just trying to stand as a man”: Traders count losses, cry out for help

    Alao revealed customers who brought their cars to his mechanic workshop for repairs had their vehicles consumed by the inferno.

    “Some of the cars that I am supposed to fix were destroyed by the fire. The fire also consumed customers’ cars of other mechanics. Even a mechanic’s personal car was also burnt to ashes,” he said.

    When asked if there was insurance coverage, Alao said: “some of the cars are insured by their owners and those that are not will have to fix their cars by themselves”.

    Meanwhile, Comrade Afolabi, the Chairman of the recycling association of the market, disclosed that the goods lost to the inferno at his section of the market were worth over N40 million and that he personally lost about N7 million to the fire incident.

    Afolabi explained that they recycle PET bottles at his section of the market, which they sell to companies for reuse. He said there are mostly women in their association and that when the news of the fire got out, there was panic and pandemonium.

    “I am just trying to stand as a man, it is hard, we are hoping we can get help from anybody, maybe an NGO,” he said, adding: “we cannot even buy materials for the same price again, everything is times three, see some of the women now, where will they start from?

    “The business you are using N3 million to fund before, you are now using 3 times the amount. So everybody is in panic mode as a result of this fire disaster. Most of the women here, you will feel for them but because I am a man, I have to stand. So we are hoping for help from anybody”.

    When asked if any of the goods were insured, he said: “none of the goods were insured. It is not because we don’t want to but look around, which insurance company will agree to insure this place?”

    Afolabi revealed that “out of 19 machines in the market, only one survived the fire and some of the machines cost over N45 million”.

    He added: “Also, before the incident, a new stock of HDF boards had just been offloaded at the market, with one of those boards costing N45,000”.

    Speaking on the bizarre fire incident, Mr Abiodun disclosed traders sell foam in the market and that some wholesalers and retailers sell plywood as well as other building materials in the market.

    Abiodun confirmed that every shop in the market has a fire extinguisher and that the machines all had their extinguishers separately.

    “The damage here is far beyond N1 billion. Of the 19 machines that we have here only one survived the fire. There is one machine worth N45 million and we have two of that.

    “Each section has its generator. If not for the way I am feeling, I would have carried you around. That place [pointing] they are arranging that board, they just offloaded HDF board and one of that board is about N45,000.

    “There are electric motors, the one of 10 horsepower, the price of one before the nation became what it is now was about N130,000. Everything got burnt.

    “The loss is worth more than you can imagine; worth of planks, worth of plywood; all burnt down, worth of machines, bundles of zinc, you can imagine the amount of bundles burnt down, shovel, building materials everything gone,” he told our reporter.

    Abiodun went on to say: “I am not the owner of all the goods but I am the chairman. So, in another way, I am the owner of everything. This fire disaster affected everyone in this market. The consolation I have is that God is ever faithful and no lives were lost.

    “There is no safety measure that the federal or state government put in place that we did not follow. But you know man proposes, God disposes. There is no measure we did not follow; Every machine has an industrial fire extinguisher”.

    He also confirmed that none of the goods were insured and that there was no way to recover anything from the loss.

    Govt officials shocked by magnitude of damage

    Meanwhile, the traders confirmed that government officials visited the market the following day after the fire incident. TNG reports that government officials who visited the market on Monday the 5th of February are from the State Ministry of Agriculture.

    The officials expressed shock at the magnitude of damage by the fire and also voiced their dismay at the fact that traders at the market do not have insurance while pledging that the State Government would work out modalities to make it mandatory for plank markets across the State to insure their goods.

    “Officials from the Ministry of Agric were around yesterday [Monday] and they were so angry because we do not have insurance and we have an affiliation with them. You know the thing is the belief of the people. Some believe the insurance people just want to collect our money while others say: “we never chop finish we wan do insurance”.

    “One of the officials said he is going to make sure they enforce insurance coverage for the market. We have an emergency meeting on Saturday [tomorrow] where we will discuss everything that happened. I even support the insurance,” Abiodun said.

    On why there is no insurance coverage for the market, he explained: “I don’t have any issues with insurance but, some of our members do not understand it and feel like they want to scam us or we never chop finish we dey do insurance”.

    However, Afolabi explained: “the problem is most of these insurance people believe this place is not safe and you know these people will not insure where is not safe. You know we have association meetings and they used to come to meet us but when they came to this place, they saw the live wire above the market and said this place is not safe.

    “There is high tension wire and also pipeline running across the market. So, the insurance people told us they could not insure the market, except we collected loan from the bank and insured that money. So, we cannot get anything back”.

    Abiodun mentioned that Saturday’s meeting with the State Government will discuss future preventive measures and a way to help the market men and women.

    Abiodun also disclosed he had earlier requested for a fire station to be cited around the market, but that it was denied because a fire station was already at Ile Epo market, which he said is about 15-minute drive from the sawmill market.

    “I have asked NEPA people to put a net under the cable. They said that is not what they are around to do. In 2006 there was a net there but it caught fire. Since then they have not replaced it. I am waiting for their boss so that I can talk with him because I want it there. Honourable Olotu, the representative of the Ijaiye Constituency said they must put it.

    “At least if the net is there, we are a lot safer, but then unless God builds a house, the labourer labours in vain.

    “Also, we had earlier requested a standby fire station but it was denied because they said the Ile Epo fire station is not far from us, but we will still bring it up again hopefully now they will answer us.

    “Moving forward, we will do whatever in our power to prevent this kind of disaster from happening again but man proposes and God disposes, God is the protector of all,” he said.

  • Disaster averted as petrol tanker bursts into flames in Kogi

    Disaster averted as petrol tanker bursts into flames in Kogi

    Station attendants, customers and many persons at the Abiodun Ojo Filling Station, Lokoja, escaped death by whiskers on Thursday, when a tanker caught fire, while discharging petrol.

    It took the concerted intervention of the Kogi State Fire Service and some good samaritans to put out the fire.

    Although no life was lost, the incident caused serious gridlock on the ever busy road, particularly around Logongoma Market, Phase 1.

    It was learnt that the incident happened around 3.30p.m.

    The station manager declined comment but eyewitness account attributed the fire to a spark from the tanker.

    An eyewitness, one Fatima Ali, disclosed that the tanker arrived at the station and was about to start discharging product when a spark occurred.

    “The spark immediately triggered off the fire,” Ali said.

    She said that when the tanker caught fire, the driver summoned courage and drove it out of the station to the road, where fire service men came and put out the flame.

    According to her, workers at the nearby EEgoja Gas Station rushed to the filing station with fire extinguishers and also helped to fight the fire.

    Motorists and other road users diverted to one lane of the road as frantic efforts were made to bring the situation under control.

    The Acting Director, Kogi Fire Service, Mr Salahu Ozigi-Umar, expressed gratitude to God for the timely intervention by people from the neighbourhood.

    “We thank God that the workers of EEgoja Gas station rushed out with their fire extinguishers and saved the station from going up in flames.

    “Again, thanks to my personnel who responded quickly to the distress call made to us.

    “Their ability to put out the fire was expected.

    “Of course, there was some little damage to the station and the tanker.

    “The joy is that no life was lost and no attendant suffered any injuries as a result of the unfortunate incident.

    “The only challenge we had in the process of extinguishing the fire was the undue interference from sympathisers.

    “The major cause of the fire would possibly be as a result of the long journey by the tanker, coupled with the present harsh weather condition,” Ozigi-Umar said.

    He advised motorists to always obey all cautionary signs and ensure other safety measures, including installing necessary equipment in their vehicles.

    He further urged the public to always alert the fire service on time, any time there was fire outbreak.

    The Spokesman for the state Police Command, SP Williams Ovye-Aya, expressed happiness over the timely intervention of the state fire service, which helped to bring the situation under control.

  • Soludo sympathises with victims of Nnewi market fire

    Soludo sympathises with victims of Nnewi market fire

    Gov. Charles Soludo of Anambra has sympathised with the victims of Tuesday’s fire that destroyed a section of the Timber Market in Nnewi.

    Soludo’s message was conveyed by the Commissioner for Industry, Mr Christian Udechukwu, accompanied to the market by the Transition Committee Chairman, Nnewi North Local Government Area, and APGA chieftains.

    The governor’s delegation was at the market to sympathise with the traders and assess the extent of damage by the inferno.

    He advised the timber dealers to take the safety of the market more seriously.

    He also said that there was an urgent need to improve water supply in strategic points in the market to forestall future occurrence.

    The governor mandated the TC chairman to sink an ultra-modern borehole with big capacity to supply water to the market.

    He also directed that the sawdust area be fenced off so that fire generated from sawdust dumps would not easily get into the shops and sheds.

    He expressed the readiness of the government to support the victims at their time of trial occasioned by the fire.

    He commended the state Fire Service and others for containing the fire and preventing it from causing greater damage.

    One of the market leaders, Mr Ikechukwu Okafor, expressed delight over the governor’s powerful delegation to the market.

    Okafor said that the victims lost goods worth millions of naira to the inferno and appealed to the state government to come to their aid.