Abia residents applaud security agencies, fuel station management for prompt response against the fire outbreak.
By Chijindu Emeruwa, Abia.
Residents of Umuahia metropolis in Abia State, have commended the management of Masters Energy Petroleum Nigeria Limited for the prompt response to quench the heavy fire that gutted its Filling station located at Aba road Umuahia, the state capital.
Recall that the inferno torched a fuel tanker parked in the premises of the filling Station and also affected the fence and mechanical items kept around the petroleum station in the metropolis.
No casualty was recorded during the fire outbreak as hundreds of Umuahia residents, and shop owners adjacent to the scene were seen on their feet scampering for safety.
In a chat with our correspondent at the scene of the fire inferno, on Saturday, an Umuahia resident and a shop owner, who trades in the sale of assorted shoes, Mr Kelechi Obinakwam, expressed immense enthusiasm that men of Abia State fire service responded promptly to quell the heavy fire disaster.
He also applauded the Nigerian police, the military and other security agencies for responding quickly to the distress call by the residents to control the situation and as well the large crowd of Umuahia inhabitants that came out to take a glimpse of the ugly scenario.
Obinakwam also regretted the dangers posed by harmattan seasons while calling on the Abia State Fire Service to redouble effort and overhaul its systematic way in fire fighting to align with international best standards in fire fighting and control.
The Umuahia-based businessman further urged all residents of the Abia state to avoid inflammatory materials capable to ignite fire outbreaks, while calling on the State government to adequately provide logistics to the Abia fire service to enable it to tackle fire inferno.
Also speaking at the scene during the inferno, another resident who lives at Aba Road, Umuahia, Mr Chimezie Ogbuehi lauded the management of the filling station on its proactiveness and cleverness in controlling the outbreak of the fire from extending to neighbouring buildings along the busy Aba road in Umuahia.
According to him, “I must sincerely thank the management of Masters Energy Petroleum limited and the security agencies who were on the ground for the prompt control of the ugly scenarios. They did well, and I would want to use this opportunity to appeal and call on the state government to provide more fire fighting vehicles to the State Fire Service for them to halt any act of natural disasters like the current outbreak of the inferno”.
On her part, Johnson Nwagego, a female food vendor, said that fire disaster is not only peculiar to Nigeria, describing such ugly scenarios as a global phenomenon.
She also applauded the management and staff of the filling station for displaying cleverness, towards forestalling loss of lives and property, and further hailed security agencies in Abia state for their professionalism and proactiveness in maintaining breakdown of law and order around the scene of the fire outbreak.
Nwagego in her words. “the Fire Service men and security outfits were on the ground to put the situation under
control, as many people were seen closing their shops situated around the scene, scampering for safety. Importantly, I want to call on relevant government authorities to enhance the welfare and operation of the Abia fire Service to enable it to live up to expectations. I note with regret that there was no adequate logistics like fire fighting vehicles and lack of sufficient water etc.
“Again, I must also thank residents of Umuahia city for their collective aid with men of State fire service through the individual provision of water from various homes after the Abia firefighters
ran shortage of water.
“People should equally be conscious of dangers posed by harmattan season. And I urge the residents of Abia to avoid or bring inflammatory materials or whatever, near any petroleum stations to avoid such an ugly incident like this”.
