Fire destroys INEC quarters in Abuja

Fire destroys INEC quarters in Abuja

A fire outbreak on Monday morning razed six apartments at Kubwa, Abuja, formerly occupied by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) officials.

The incident, which began around 10 a.m. in the Phase 4 area of the satellite town, caused significant damage. Eyewitnesses reported firefighters arrived with four trucks and struggled for over an hour to bring the blaze under control.

One of the victims, Hajara Maryam, expressed her devastation. She revealed that the fire destroyed all their belongings except for cushion chairs. Maryam, who had planned her daughter’s wedding for the upcoming Friday, said:

“We have already started receiving guests from our hometown for the event,” she lamented, adding that she is unsure if the wedding will go as planned.

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A resident and volunteer, Ja’afar Sani, explained that the fire started in a flat near the building’s entrance and quickly spread to the remaining apartments.

“We tried to put out the fire manually before a fire truck arrived. The driver later left to refill the water and returned with three more trucks. That was when they finally brought the fire under control,” Sani said.

Meanwhile, Okoye Steven, the owner of a shop attached to the building, said his shop, located near the compound’s gate, was the only structure spared by the fire.

The Divisional Police Officer (DPO) of Kubwa, CSP Paul Lazarus, was also present at the scene. Along with his team, he managed crowd control and traffic. He confirmed that no lives were lost in the incident.

The cause of the fire is yet to be determined.

 

Fire destroys INEC quarters in Abuja