Some residents and shop owners in Enugu state, are counting their losses as fire broke out and razed down their building.
According to reports, although no casualty was recorded, property worth millions of Naira have been lost.
The incident, occurred on 53 presidential road, in a building that houses about 30 people including students and families.
Giving account of the incident, some residents blamed the fire fighters for the extent of the damage.
“We heard a sound like an explosion at about 11:00pm. When we came out we saw fire coming out from a room. We tried to stop it but we couldn’t, in the process, we called the fire fighters they came late and without water.
“In anger, some boys started stoning them and they left, but we blame the fire fighters for not responding immediately.
Also, a student who had just returned from a trip and met his apartment burnt, expressed his sadness saying: “I cannot explain how I feel. Everything I have in that house is gone. I am heartbroken’”.
Reacting to the situation, Chief Fire Fighter Enugu State Fire Service, Okwudiri Oha, told Channels Television that the reason they could not respond promptly, was because they were fighting fire in three other places when they got the call.
“We got a call at about 11:00 pm and at the time, we were at the three different locations fighting fire. I left where I was to the place immediately, with our truck filled with water but the boys almost mobbed us saying we came late.
“My driver had to zoom off for our lives. We quickly alerted the police who came and calmed the situation and we were able to stop it from entering the next compound.
According to the Enugu State Police Public Relation Officer, Ebere Amarizu, there are speculations that the fire exploded from a gas, however, investigation into the actual cause is ongoing.
“We made sure the situation was calmed when we were alerted. The cause of the outbreak is being investigated but individuals should be more careful with the way inflammables are handled especially in this harmattan,” he advised.