The Federal Fire Service (FFS) has said that a mob stopped its men from getting to the scene of Wednesday’s fire incident at Ochanja Market, Onitsha, in Anambra.
Spokesperson of the agency, Ugo Huan, said this in a statement on Thursday in Abuja.
“The Federal Fire Service received a call about the fire outbreak around 2.00 p. m.
“The control room at the headquarters in Abuja immediately turned out its nearest station at Asaba, Delta State, to attend to the fire.
“Our men immediately headed to the scene but it was not possible to contend with the heavy traffic at the Niger head bridge, coupled with the behaviour of an angry mob who pelted stones at them.
“Thus, it was not possible for the firefighters to get to the scene and fight the fire in such a hostile environment”, Huan said.
Reports say that no fewer than five persons, including a woman and her child, died in the inferno caused by the explosion of a petrol tanker.
Many buildings and shops were also torched in the disaster, according to reports.
The spokesman said the FFS Controller General, Mr Liman Ibrahim, was deeply saddened by the incident, and had expressed his heart-felt condolences to the victims and their families.
“The Federal Fire Service is committed to ensuring the safety of lives and property, with the procurement of new state-of-the-art firefighting trucks distributed to the 12 zones of the service across the nation.
“The service is always ready to respond to fire outbreaks and other emergencies across the nation.
“It is worthy to note that similar situations in recent past in Sokoto, Uyo, Minna, Ibadan, Osun and Lagos were prevented from escalating to a major disaster by the Federal Fire Service.
“The case of Ochanja market was an unfortunate one, as one will wonder why individuals will want to attack firefighters that came to help put out fire that was threatening lives and ravaging property,” he said.
Huan added that “the service will like to use this opportunity to appeal to Nigerians that in as much as the fire service is prepared and committed to saving of lives and property in emergencies, their support and cooperation is highly needed to do that.”
He further explained that the service remained committed to its mandate of saving lives and property of Nigerians and others residing in the country.
However, the Civil Liberties Organisation (CLO), a civil society organization, on Thursday urged the Federal Government to set up a functional fire service station on the Onitsha axis of Onitsha-Enugu Highway.
Recall that over 59 people about five years ago lost their lives in a fire inferno close to the same point of the fire incident that occurred in Onitsha on Wednesday.
Chairman of the CLO, in Anambra State, Mr Vincent Ezekwueme, told NAN in Enugu that the Federal Government must wade in and stop fire incidents connected to the vehicular movement along the Onitsha axis of Onitsha-Enugu Highway.
Ezekwueme also urged the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) to ensure that trucks, tankers and other articulated vehicles plying Federal roads were road worthy and had drivers with sound mind.
“Gov. Willie Obiano should set up a committee made up of men of impeccable integrity to probe the activities of state’s fire service over negligence to duties and indifference in view of the huge allocations and money spent by the government.
“It is very regrettable and despicable that the fire service stations within Main Market Onitsha and Okpoko are not living up to their statutory mandate,’’ he said.
The CLO boss however, prayed for eternal repose of those who lost their lives and fortitude to their loved ones to bear the irreparable lost.
“The Federal and Anambra State Governments as well as the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) should come to the aid of the victims.
“Anambra State Government should establish trust fund in support of the victims.
“I thank the police and other security agencies in the state for their prompt interventions immediately the inferno started,’’ he said.
Meanwhile, President Muhammadu Buhari has expressed sadness over the death of a mother and her child as a result of an oil tanker accident in Onitsha, Anambra.
Reacting to the incident in a statement by his spokesman, Malam Garba Shehu, on Wednesday, President Buhari said: “I am profoundly touched by the sight of the charred remains of an innocent mother and her child who are victims of this tragedy.”
The President also extended his sympathies to other victims of the explosion whose houses, shops and other property were destroyed in the mishap.
He said: “While I express sadness over this tragedy, I must at the same time call for urgent action on the part of those concerned to stem these frequent fatal disasters on public roads.”
The President decried the way and manner safety precautions and routine maintenance were taken for granted by vehicle owners.
“I call on the Ministry of Transport, the Federal Road Safety Commission and other stakeholders to urgently address the issue of safety standards in the country, with a view to stemming the embarrassing frequency of these tragedies,” he added.
Also, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Anambra Chapter, on Thursday sympathised with the victims of Wednesday’s Onitsha tanker fire disaster.
The party’s Publicity Secretary in the state, Mr Nnamdi Nwangwu, on Thursday prayed for the repose of the souls of all who lost their lives.
The party also prayed for quick recovery of those who were injured in the petrol induced fire disaster which also destroyed properties worth millions of Naira.
The PDP described the fire incident as unfortunate and blamed the Anambra Government of paying lip service to issues of public safety.
The party noted that it was regrettable that fire fighters from another state had to come in when it became obvious that Anambra State Fire Service could not do anything to help the victims.
“The PDP in Anambra warned against playing politics with people’s lives.
“Not long ago, a fleet of fire fighting vehicles were allegedly commissioned by the state government but it’s worrisome that whenever there is incidence of fire outbreak, the vehicles would not be seen anywhere around the scene.
“When a fire incident happened in front of Dennis Memorial grammar School (DMGS) in the same Onitsha few months ago, it was the same Delta State fire fighters that rose to the occasion.
“The same thing repeated itself in Wednesday’s tanker fire, a very big market and many other private investments were consumed.
“This is totally ridiculous and unacceptable, the primary responsibility of any responsible government is protection of lives and properties of her citizens, any government that fails in this regard cannot be said to be working,” it said.
Similarly, a pan-Igbo socio-cultural and political group, Ndigbo Unity Forum (NUF), on Thursday, sympathised with the victims of the fire outbreak that occurred in Onitsha on Wednesday.
The fire, which occurred at Upper Iweka area of Onitsha, was reportedly caused by tanker explosion, leaving a woman, her child and three other persons dead and some buildings razed.
The President of NUF, Mr Augustine Chukwudum, said in a statement in Enugu that there was an urgent need for the federal government and Anambra government to provide relief materials to ameliorate the suffering of the victims.
Chukwudum specifically called on the state government to provide alternative homes for the homeless victims.
“NUF wishes to sympathise with families and victims of the fire incident that occurred on Oct. 16 in Onitsha, Anambra State.
“We call on President Muhammadu Buhari to visit the area where the incident occurred to see things for himself and also condole with those who lost their loved ones to the fire incident.
“All levels of government must take care of those who sustained injuries during the incident and also compensate those whose shops were burnt,’’ he said.
It was learnt that scores of shops in the affected residential buildings, with goods worth millions of naira, were also destroyed by the inferno.
Also, a former Minister of Aviation, Chief Osita Chidoka, has commiserated with the victims of Wednesday’s tanker fire accident in Onitsha, Anambra.
Chidoka said on Thursday in Awka described the accident as painful and regrettable.
“It was indeed a black Wednesday in Onitsha, Anambra. The loss of lives, property and businesses as a result of the accident is both painful and regrettable.
“I want to express deep condolences to the families that lost their loved ones in the accident, including that of a mother and her baby and the people that lost properties and businesses.
“I identify with them at this moment of grief and pray that the almighty God will console them,” he said in a in statement by Mr Ikechukwu Okafor, his Special Adviser on Media Relations.
Chidoka, however, observed that casualties resulting from such accidents in Onitsha were always high because of the poor planning of the area.
Chidoka, a Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftain in the state, called for more government’s attention and citizen engagement in the area of urban planning and public safety.
“Onitsha is an ungoverned space; divided by artificial boundaries of local governments and unattended to by a visionless state.
“It lacks coherent development plan and is not loved by residents who lack a sense of community.
“The fire on Wednesday is symptomatic of deep seated urban challenges,” he said.
“As markets shutdown for prayers and sanitation, they should also shutdown for an hour or two every week for fire drills.
“The people can arrange for a fire survey from Federal Fire Service and modify their markets to enhance emergency response.
“There is need for government to engage citizens and market leadership on issues of safety,” he said.