Governor Alex Otti of Abia State has instructed his Senior Special Assistant on Homeland Security to conduct a full investigation into the cause of the fire that consumed a two-storey building at 73 Lagos Street in Aba earlier this week.
The Governor expressed his frustration that the fire broke out while the Fire Service’s phone lines in Aba were reportedly switched off, preventing a timely response. Otti, who visited the scene on Friday to offer his condolences to the victims, pledged that his administration would provide assistance and temporary housing for those affected by the fire.
He expressed relief that no lives were lost in the incident and emphasized the importance of fire safety measures, urging every household to equip themselves with fire extinguishers. In response to the fire, Otti ordered the implementation of a policy requiring all households to have fire extinguishers as part of a broader initiative to ensure public safety.
He also directed that a comprehensive investigation be conducted to understand the circumstances surrounding the fire, including the failure of the Fire Service’s communication lines during the emergency. “It’s deeply troubling that the fire service did not respond promptly.
Typically, they should arrive within ten minutes, but this incident was handled very differently,” Otti remarked. “I have instructed an investigation to determine why the Fire Service’s phone numbers were unreachable and whether the fire was caused by natural factors or negligence on the part of the occupants.”
The landlord of the affected building, Mr. Vincent Uzuegbu, along with tenant Mr. Obinna Obi and his wife, shared their distressing experience, explaining that they were all asleep when the fire began. The fire completely destroyed their belongings, leaving them devastated.
