Fire Kills Three, Razes 10 Houses In Enugu

No fewer than three charred bodies have so far been recovered from yesterday early morning fire that started from a fallen oil tanker, close to the Enugu Prisons.

A Deputy Police Commission, Mr Stephen Ekpei, who was at the scene, confirmed the deaths.

He denied rumours gaining currency that the fire was the handiwork of Boko Haram.

“There is no bomb scare in Enugu. It was just a tanker load of diesel that fell and eventually igniting a fire.”

Ekpei advised residents of the coal city to get about their normal business as the situation was under control.

Mr Sikiru Raimi, Commandant, Enugu Command of the Civil Defence Corps, told our correspondent that the incident occurred when a tanker load of diesel lost control while negotiating a roundabout.

“The tanker fell spilling the product that eventually caught fire.”

According to him, it was unfortunate that the fire followed the spilling fuel to some of the houses close to the scene of the fall.

He re-confirmed evacuating three corpses that were burnt beyond recognition.

Raimi said the members of the fire service arrived in good time to battle the blaze.

Dr Eric Oluedo, Enugu Commissioner for Rural development, that oversees the fire service, who was at the scene, blamed the incident to carelessness of the driver.

“It is careless driving. We should take education to every level in this country. We should educate all our drivers and artisans.

“This thing is avoidable. How can an articulated truck negotiate a turn in top speed, only for it to skid.

“I am happy that my men (firemen) responded in time to battle the fire,” Oluedo said.

He, however, noted that the blaze was overwhelming. “You know this is gas and highly flammable”.

The Comptroller of Prisons in Enugu State, Mr Chris Ntewo, said it was a pity the incident occurred, adding, “I thank God that all security operatives were mobilised to the scene. All inmates of the prisons are intact”.

Our correspondent, who later arrived at the scene reports that as the fire spread to nearby houses – prisons quarters – where badly affected as some houses were subsumed in the inferno.

It was gathered that the fire, which involved a truck with registration number XT 968 JJJ, (Lagos) started at about 7 a.m.

There was wailing and shouting as bodies of those that were burnt where retrieved by medical teams from the Federal Road Safety Corps, the Police and Civil Defence. The Dog Section of Prisons Service, VIOs and NEMA officials were also at the scene to lend helping hands.

They were either containing the fire, evacuating the injured or containing miscreants who could want to cash on the situation to carry nefarious acts.