Fire razes INEC headquarters in Abuja

Posted on March 28, 2017 by Staff Reporter

There was an outbreak of fire at the headquarters of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Monday.

The fire was said to have started from a spark from an air conditioner in the office of the personal assistant to Mahmoud Yakubu, the chairman.

The fire was later put out before it could do a severe damage to the office it started in.

In an interview with NAN, Oluwole Osaze-Uzzi, director of voter education and publicity, said the incident was minor.

He said no life or sensitive materials was lost.

“It was a minor fire incident and the officers of the fire service and staff of the commission put it off with the use of fire extinguisher,” Osaze-Uzzi said.

“There is nothing to worry about the incident; nobody was injured, no loss of life, and no loss of sensitive documents to the fire outbreak.”

Source: The Cable

JUST IN: Manufacturing company gutted by fire in Oshodi [Pictures]

Posted on March 20, 2017 by Staff Reporter

While workers in a manufacturing company situated along the Oshodi axis of Lagos were relaxing over the weekend, little did they know that they would resume work to find their workplace completely razed.

According to the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency, LASEMA, the inferno that completely affected factory was caused by a chemical explosion.

The agency disclosed that its Emergency Response Team (ERT) received a distress call on the fire incident before it deployed officers to the scene.

The fire was however put off with the support of the Lagos Fire Service. This however couldn’t prevent the loss of properties to the inferno.

See more photos of the scene below.

Fire razes 9 shops at Warri roundabout market

Posted on February 20, 2017 by Staff Reporter

Early morning fire outbreak on Sunday razed about nine shops at a popular estate roundabout market in Warri, Delta State.

A witness account said that the inferno started at about 3:00 a.m. on Sunday leading to the destruction of property including electrical appliances worth millions of Naira.

The fire was said to have come from a refuse dump site close to a bush which was set on fire by the traders at the close of business on Saturday.

It was obvious that the trader did not anticipate the early morning harmattan that had resurfaced recently in Warri.

Livanus Okeke, a resident of the area, said; “we had all gone to sleep when we saw thick smoke.

“As we peep through the window, we saw that the fire had spread from the bush area to shops along the major road.”

Mr. Okeke said some residents shouted to attract the attention of other neighbours to salvage some of the items in the shops before fire fighters would arrive at the scene.

He, however, said that the situation had been curtailed before the arrival of the fire fighters at about 4:10 a.m.

“Nine shops were severely affected by the fire,” he said.

The News Agency of Nigeria correspondent who visited the scene, observed that some of the victims were still counting their loses as at 5:00 p.m. on Sunday.

One of the traders, Andrew Chukwuemeka, said that he lost property worth about N2 million to the fire incident.

“Where will I start from in this recession, I leave everything for God,” he said.

Source: NAN

UPDATE: No life lost in Lagos plastic factory fire – LASEMA

Posted on February 20, 2017 by Staff Reporter

The Lagos State Emergency Management Authority, LASEMA, Sunday, said no life was lost in the fire incident that occurred at Rida Plastic industry, Lagos.

Earlier, PREMIUM TIMES had reported a fire outbreak at the premises of the plastic company, located on the Oshodi-Apapa Expressway, Barack bus stop, Lagos.

Fire fighters from the Lagos State Fire Service and other private and public agencies including the Ikeja military cantonment had put out the fire, which was curtailed from spreading to the cantonment and other factories around the area.

In an interview with our correspondent Sunday evening, Adesina Tiamiyu, the General Manager of LASEMA, said no casualty was recorded in the inferno.

“No casualty involved, but the inferno affected warehouse where raw materials for plastic making are stored,” the LASEMA boss told PREMIUM TIMES.

He, however, added that the cause of the fire is still yet to be ascertained.

Source: Premium Times

Fresh fire outbreak recorded at Makoko in Lagos.

Posted on February 20, 2017 by Staff Reporter

A fire outbreak was recorded in Makoko, a slum in a neighborhood in Lagos, on Sunday evening.

A witness said the fire broke out around 5pm, but Adebayo Kehinde, spokesman of the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), said he had not recieved any report on the incident.

“I am not aware of that. I have not recieved any report on it,” he told TheCable.

Dolapo Badmos, spokesperson of the Lagos state police command, is yet to respond to inquiries by TheCable.

But another witness, who drove along the third mainland bridge on Sunday evening, said she saw smoke billowing from Makoko axis.

This is not the first time that an outbreak of fire would be recorded in the area. In November, many were rendered homeless, while property were destroyed in a similar incident.

Source: The Cable

UPDATE: 10 buildings, filling station, shops razed in Onitsha fire.

Posted on February 16, 2017 by Staff Reporter

Many people escaped death on Wednesday night when fire razed about 10 buildings in Onitsha, Anambra State.

The fire which started at about 8.20 p.m. from a filling station at Denis Memorial Grammar School, Onitsha (DMGS) junction affected banks, streets markets and many vehicles.

The fire was caused by a tanker loaded with fuel which lost control and rammed into the filling station situated at the DMGS roundabout.

The truck exploded after the collision, witnesses said.

PREMIUM TIMES gathered that many people were injured while trying to escape from their buildings while others were injured trying to remove wares and property from their shops and houses.

Also, security agents who mobilised to the site to provide security arrested three persons while trying to break into one of the banks.

Fire service officials from neighbouring Asaba in Delta State it were called in to help their Anambra State counterparts put off the fire.

Fire outbreak in Onitsha filling station. Buildings, properties destroyed.

Posted on February 16, 2017 by Staff Reporter

A fire outbreak occurred at Mobil Petrol Station at DMGS roundabout, Onitsha, Anambra State on Wednesday night.

The fire is said to have been caused by a petrol tanker loaded with fuel.

According to Chukwumerie Uduchukwu, a Facebook user, the fire badly damaged a two-storey building near the filling station and surrounding buildings.

In the video shared by the Facebook user, fire service officials were seen trying to put out the fire.

Details later…

BREAKING: Fire guts building at Balogun market in Lagos.

Posted on February 1, 2017 by Staff Reporter

A morning inferno has engulfed a building where ankara cloths (traditional fabrics) are sold at the popular Balogun market in Lagos Island.

The cause of the fire is yet to be ascertained but witnesses told PREMIUM TIMES that a generator explosion was heard shortly before the inferno.

No casualties have been recorded yet.

Fire fighters are currently trying to put out the fire.

More details soon.

Reason the Galaxy Note 7 catches fire – Samsung

Posted on January 23, 2017 by Staff Reporter

The design and production of the Samsung Galaxy Note 7’s batteries caused the mobile phones to catch fire, the South Korean company said on Monday.

“Our investigation, as well as investigations completed by three independent industry organisations, concluded that the batteries were found to be the cause of the Note 7 incidents.

“Some 700 engineers examined 200,000 devices and 30,000 batteries during the investigation into the cause of the fires,’’ Samsung said in a statement.

Samsung began selling the phone on August 19, but said in October it was discontinuing production following a global recall and multiple reports of some of the devices catching fire.

The discontinuation of production was estimated to cost the South Korean tech giant 3.5 trillion won (three billion dollars) in operating profit from the fourth quarter of 2016 through the first quarter of 2017.

The 940-dollar device was aimed at the premium end of the market, where it was intended to compete with Apple’s iPhone.

Over one million phones were recalled.

Following the recall, the U.S. Department of Transportation strengthened an earlier Federal Aviation Administration warning by ordering airline passengers not to bring Samsung Galaxy Note 7 phones on planes unless they keep them turned off and don’t charge them during the flight.

2-year-old boy killed in fire outbreak at Ojuelegba

Posted on January 20, 2017 by Staff Reporter

A two-year-old boy has been reported dead following a fire incident that gutted a flat at Ojuelegba in Lagos State on Thursday.

The parents and two sisters of the deceased, who were rushed to the hospital after the incident, are reported to have become unconscious.

Rasak Fadipe, director, Lagos State Fire Service, confirmed the tragic incident in an interview with NAN.

Fadipe said the tragedy occurred at 11, Atan Street, Ojuelegba, Lagos, saying they got call around 6am.

He said at the time they arrived at the three storey building, the first floor that was housing the victims was in flame.

“Before we got there, people in the area have been able to evacuate the family members out of the building unconscious due to fumes inhaling,” he said.

“The children: two girls and a boy of ages 8, 5 and 2 were taken to LUTH, while parents taken to a private hospital.

“Unfortunately, the boy died at the hospital. We went to see the victims at the hospital.”

He advised residents against erecting burglaries that would be dangerous to the occupants of such high rise buildings.

The director also called for the installation of fire-fighting equipment at homes and public places for emergency operations.

Anti-Trump protester sets himself on fire outside The Donald’s D.C. hotel

Posted on January 18, 2017 by Staff Reporter

A protester set himself on fire outside Trump International Hotel in Washington DC on Tuesday.

The 45-year-old man, who has not yet been identified, said the act was in protest of the President-elect’s looming inauguration.

Witnesses described how he yelled ‘Trump’ several times as ‘flames ran up his back’ before lying down in the street.

He suffered non-life-threatening burns and was taken to hospital shortly after the incident at around 9.30pm.

A Washington DC Police source told DailyMail.com he was not arrested.

A man set himself on fire in protest outside Trump International Hotel in Washington D.C. on Tuesday night. His clothes remained ablaze in the middle of the road afterwards

The man said he was from California and that he was acting in protest against Trump

‘(I’m protesting) the fact that we’ve elected somebody who is completely incapable of respecting the Constitution of the United States.’

The man, who said he was from California, suffered third-degree burns on 10 percent of his body, according to the Washington Post.

He had used a lighter and accelerant to start the fire.

Authorities said they were called to the hotel after receiving a report of a person ‘in distress’.

A bypasser said it was not initially clear what the man was protesting when he set fire to items of clothing in the street outside the hotel.

‘He set himself on fire and as flames ran up his back he yelled Trump several times then lay down in the street.

Fire crews and an ambulance was called to the hotel shortly after 9.30pm to deal with the incident.

(He) then walked over to the police/security,’ Michael Shoag, who arrived at the hotel after the man set himself on fire, said.

While the man appeared to have suffered burns to his back, he was able to walk.

Trump International Hotel is on the parade route that the president-elect will travel during the inauguration on Friday as he makes his way to the White House.

Anti-Trump protesters have been flocking to Washington DC this week ahead of the event.

At least 26 protest groups have been granted permits, which is more than four times the average for past inaugurations, according to USA Today.

Approximately 400,000 protesters are anticipated in DC over the weekend, with more than half expected to walk on Saturday in the Women’s March on Washington.

They also inundated Ivanka Trump’s Manhattan home on Tuesday, carrying moving boxes plastered with protest slogans to mock the businesswoman’s move to Washington.

New York Mayor Bill de Blasio said on Tuesday he would also join demonstrators at a protest outside the family’s Manhattan hotel on the eve of the inauguration.

‘I’m rallying at Trump Int’l Hotel at 6PM on January 19 because our next president needs to hear from all NYers before he takes office. Join us,’ the mayor tweeted.

Source: DailyMail

Woman Sets Her Husband On Fire For Raping Her 7 Year Old Daughter

Posted on January 18, 2017 by Staff Reporter

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When Vanessa Jackson found that her 52 year old husband, Vincent Phillips, raped and molested her daughter, she took matters into her own hands and lit him on fire.

The 40 year old mother waited for her husband to go to bed, then when he was asleep, she poured a combustible liquid on him and lit a match. She then admitted to police that she intentionally set him on fire because shooting him would have been ‘too nice.’

Phillips didn’t die in the blaze and is being charged with a 1st degree sex crime. Jackson faces arson charges and assault charges.

The state of mind of Jackson, at the time she set Phillips on fire, is being questioned, “Should Jackson’s mental state at the time result in a lenient sentence when it comes time for the criminal court to address her situation of the crimes she is being charged with?”

The public is worried that the state will punish Jackson too harshly for her crime of passion.

Currently, Jackson is in police custody awaiting a court hearing.

Fire guts students hostel at Lagos State Model College, Igbonla, Epe.

Posted on January 13, 2017 by Staff Reporter

There was pandemonium at the Lagos State Model College, Igbonla, Epe, yesterday, Thursday, January 12, 2016, due to a fire incident that gutted one of the boys’ hostels.

Luckily no lives were lost in the incident but the inferno razed parts of the hostel affecting clothes, beddings and other personal effects of the students.

Omojuwa.Com learnt that all the students in the hostels were quickly relocated to a safer place during the fire, which cause was yet to be ascertained.

It was also gathered that the school authorities made use of fire extinguishers which could not put out the fire before an emergency call was placed to fire fighters.

Furthermore, the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency, LASEMA, announced that its Emergency Response Unit embarked on a rescue operation at the scene to put off the fire.

The agency has also released photos of the affected parts of the hostel. See the photos below.

Marijuana smokers accused of starting Nnewi market fire

Posted on January 11, 2017 by Staff Reporter

THE fire disaster that razed Nnewi Timber Market in Anambra State on Thursday has been attributed to Indian hemp smokers around the market.

A trader who spoke on condition of anonymity told Southern City News that hemp smokers usually converged on the forest behind the market to smoke every evening after the market had closed.

He said, “This market is not fenced. We have complained on several occasions to those concerned and nobody listened and this is the result of their inaction.

“Indian hemp smokers would always come to that forest behind the market to smoke every evening after the market had closed. They were people that wreaked this havoc.

“This is their meeting place and you know sawdust is highly inflammable. That was why this section of the market got burnt to ashes.”

The trader maintained that the smokers must have carelessly dropped live butts of their smoke on the sawdust, which ignited the fire.

A philanthropist, Mr. Godwin Ezeemo, who visited the market to sympathise with the traders, blamed government for the poor infrastructure in the market.

Ezeemo, who donated N500,000 to the traders to mitigate their losses, said institutional policies must be put in place to make markets conducive and protected.

“It is unfair for government to go to markets to collect revenue without providing the attendant social services. They owe these traders the duty of making the markets conducive and protected.

“This place ought to be fenced in the first place. A fire-fighting arrangement should have been here for proactive preventive measures. This is how it should be; that’s how it is in some other places.

“Government should take charge of the welfare of her citizens. We must change some of these old ways of doing things,” he said.

He called on both state and federal governments to come to the aid of the Nnewi fire victims to assuage their pains.

Thanking Ezeemo for his concern over their plight, the Chairman of Nnewi Timber Dealers Association, Mr. Chukwunonso Nnetu, said a security guard in the market alerted him to the incident at about 12 midnight that fateful day.

Nnetu said the fire fighters in Awka, Nnewi and Onitsha fire service stations were immediately contacted.

“The Nnewi Fire Service men later arrived, though the fire had reached an advanced stage. We lost about 155 shops; 555 sawing and curving machines valued at N2m each were destroyed.

Fire destroys Nigerian Bottling Company depot in Uyo.

Posted on January 5, 2017 by Staff Reporter

Fire on Wednesday night gutted the depot of the Nigerian Bottling Company office on Abak Road, Uyo.

Witnesses told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday that goods worth millions of Naira were lost in the inferno.

One of the witnesses, Ekong Charles, told NAN that the fire started from where the pallets were packed and engulfed the entire packing zone.

Mr. Charles said it was the quick intervention of firefighters from the state Fire Service that prevented the fire from spreading to the office complex.

“The fire started from where the pallets are packed and the fire service was quickly alerted to control the spread to other buildings.

“In fact, it was so serious; if not for the quick intervention of the firefighters it would have consumed the entire depot.

“Five trucks of firefighting vehicles were brought to put out the fire,” Mr. Charles said.

The Chief Fire Officer in Akwa Ibom, Ndarake Ukpe, told NAN that he had to mobilise firemen from Ikot Ekpene, Abak and Akpan Andem to put out the fire.

Mr. Ukpe said the cause of the fire was yet unknown, and appealed to residents to be careful in handling inflammable materials during this harmattan period.

He also confirmed that no life was lost to the inferno as the place was taken care of by security personnel.

“Fire does not just happen, it is caused by carelessness and fake electrical installations in our buildings.

“We have organised seminars for people in the markets and advised them to stop storing fuel in their houses.

“We are committed to ensuring that our department response to fire calls within record time so that minimal lost is recorded,” Mr. Ukpe said.

He urged members of the public to report fire outbreak promptly instead of waiting until the damage was done before calling on the fire service.

The Uyo depot manager, Benjamin Uche, told NAN that the cause of the fire was yet unknown.

Mr. Uche said he was yet to quantify what the company had lost to the inferno.

“I have to take stock to know what we have lost in this incident,” Mr. Uche said.

On Christmas day, the home of the Commissioner for Works, Ephraim Inyang-eyen, was also gutted by fire.

New Year Tragedy: Fire guts office building in Ikeja.

Posted on January 4, 2017 by Staff Reporter

While residents across the Lagos Mainland prepare to resume for work in the New Year, their counterparts at a building turned private office located at Awolowo Way, off Allen Avenue will be forced to extend their holiday due to an inferno that razed the building. The fire incident which left many residents in shock occurred on Monday, January 2, 2016.

According to a source, Ms. Oluwatosin, whose workplace is located few meters away from the scene, the fire incident occurred at night and at a time when occupants of the building were on holiday. In her words, “my office is a stone throw from the incident scene. I rushed to the office to pick something I needed for a meeting when I saw thick smoke in the air. The fire outbreak occurred at a time when the building was empty due to the New Year holiday.”

On the efforts to salvage the situation and put out the fire, she revealed that “residents and other passerby made efforts to put out the fire but couldn’t do that. I was informed they had to place emergency calls to the fire service agency for help,” she added.

Furthermore, the Lagos State Emergency Management Authority (LASEMA) has released photos of the unfortunate incident. According to the agency, its Emergency Response Team (ERT) mobilized to the scene following a distress call informing the agency of the inferno.

See some of the photos as released by LASEMA below.

SAD: Fire kills 3 siblings locked in a room by mother.

Posted on December 28, 2016 by Staff Reporter

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If Ngozi Ifediba, a resident of 15 Ikuna Street, Liasu Road, Ikotun Egbe, knew what was ahead, she would not have locked her three children – all below 10 years –in a room on a day when fire engulfed her one-room apartment.

The children, identified as Chiamaka, Emmanuel and Chiagozie, died at Do-alllars Hospital, Ikotun, where they were taken to, for treatment.

NAN quoted a source as saying one of the victims died shortly after they were brought to the hospital.

The source said the fire, which started around 2 pm on Tuesday, was caused by power outage.

“One died at 11pm on Tuesday and the second one died 12:30am on Wednesday,” the source said.

Mutiu Wasiu, a tenant in a building adjacent to the affected house, said the room’s window was forced open before the victims were brought out.

Wasiu said the children were found unconscious and covered in smoke.

“It was a terrible experience for me; I see no reason why someone will lock her children inside the house to buy something,” he said.

“It is only God that can save the children because the state we found them was not palatable.”

Francis Simon, a resident of the area, said the children would have been rescued on time but their neigbours were more concerned about saving their property before the fire escalated.

Simon said the fire was eventually put out before the arrival of fire service personnel.

“We managed to put the fire out with the help of outsiders and passerby,” he said.

Confirming the incident, Razak Fadipe, director, Lagos State Fire Service, said the information they received on arrival at the scene was that the victims’ mother locked them in.

“She was said to be cooking and left them inside to purchase some items in a nearby shop when the incident occurred,” Fadipe said.

Gloomy Christmas For Nigerian Breweries As Fire Guts Iganmu Headquarters

Posted on December 25, 2016 by Staff Reporter

While residents across Lagos are enjoying the Christmas season, reverse was the case for officers of multinational company, Nigerian Breweries.

In the early hours of this morning, a section of the headquarters of the company erupted in flames.

Presently, the inferno has affected parts of the warehouse of the company as fire fighters of the Federal Fire Service and the Nigeria Police Force battle to quench the inferno.

According to a resident who spoke to InsideMainland, “the fire has affected structures in the building and we fear it might affected nearby houses if not urgently quenched.”

See another photos of the scene below.

Fire Engulfs 140 Buildings In Japan

Posted on December 22, 2016 by Staff Reporter

A wind-fanned fire engulfed 140 buildings in central Japan on Thursday with hundreds of residents advised to evacuate their homes, local media reported.

The Niigata prefectural government called on the military to dispatch troops to help contain the fire in Itoigawa City on the Sea of Japan coast, 250 kilometres north-west of Tokyo.

The media report said that two people were injured after the fire broke out in a restaurant at around 10:30 am (0130 GMT) and spread quickly, enveloping about 140 buildings.

The city issued an evacuation advisory to 740 people as firefighters were battling the raging blaze.

“I’m astonished to see the fire spread so quickly.

“I first thought one or two houses would be burned in the fire,’’ a witness told newsmen.

Man Opens Fire On Praying Muslims In Switzerland

Posted on December 20, 2016 by Staff Reporter

A man burst into a Muslim prayer hall in the Swiss city of Zurich on Monday and started shooting, injuring three men, according to police, who have launched a manhunt for the shooter.

A body was found a few hundred metres (yards) from the scene, an AFP photographer said, but it was unclear if it was connected to the shooting, which took place inside the city’s Islamic Centre, near the central station.

At around 5:30pm (1630 GMT), an unknown person entered the Islamic Centre, where several worshippers were gathered, and began shooting, Zurich police said in a statement.

He “fired several shots at the worshippers,” police said. “Three men, aged 30, 35 and 56, were injured, some seriously. The suspect then escaped from the mosque in the direction of Central Station,” the statement said.

Witnesses had described the shooter as a man aged around 30 wearing dark clothes and a dark woollen cap, witnesses said.

Fire kills 12 in Sokoto in 11 months

Posted on December 12, 2016 by Staff Reporter

No fewer than 12 persons died as a result of 385 fire incidents in Sokoto State from January till December in 2016, according to the Director-General of the State Fire Service Department, Ibrahim Dingyadi.

Mr. Dingyadi told the News Agency of Nigeria( NAN)in Sokoto on Monday that, properties worth over N 2.1 billion were also lost in the infernos.

Properties worth over N 2.8 billion were also saved by the department.

Mr. Dingyadi attributed most of the infernos to electrical faults and mishandling of fires in homes, markets and other commercial areas.

“The Department has embarked on series of sensitisation campaigns to raise awareness of the residents on fire prevention and mitigation.

“They are also being sensitized on the need to report fire outbreaks on time, as well as follow laid down rules and regulations in constructing structures.”

The director-general disclosed that the state government had recently ordered for 10 new fire engines for the department.

Similarly, five of the existing ones have been refurbished,while eight new fire stations were being established.

“We are also in the process of rehabilitating the existing fire stations, recruitment of new firemen,training and retraining.

“We are also in the process of taking over the fire engines in the 23 local governments, to boost fire prevention and control,” Mr. Dingyadi said.

Fire razes Lagos chief judge’s chambers

Posted on November 30, 2016 by Staff Reporter

Judicial activities was on Wednesday grounded at the premises of the Lagos State High Court in Igbosere as fire gutted the chambers of the Chief Judge of the state, Justice Funmilayo Atilade.

The incident which stated at about 8.15am, at the CJ courtroom located on the top floor of the old building, according to eyewitnesses, happened as a result of a spark from one of the air-conditioning unit in the chambers.

The courtroom which is hardly used by the Chief Judge is reserved for her anytime she comes to the Lagos division of the court.

However, the timely intervention of Lagos State Fire Service saved the entire building was from being razed down, as their efforts prevented the fire from spreading to other courtrooms

Their is conflicting report on how the fire started, while a some eyewitnesses claimed that the fire started when one of the cleaners switched on the faulty air-conditioner and left the courtroom.

Some other eyewitnesses reported that the fire was noticed by a security woman attached to the court, who raised alarm.

They said that the security woman, popularly called Alhaja, was later taken to the hospital as a result of the smoke she allegedly inhaled before the arrival of the firefighters..

Although the fire was quickly put out by the fire fighters, the inferno disrupted activities as litigants were evacuated from the premises and the gates locked.

But, some of the furniture and bookshelves in the CJ’s chamber were partly destroyed as a result of the incident.

It was gathered that the fire fighter got to the scene about 30 minutes after the incident started.

An eyewitness, who spoke to our correspondent on condition of anonymity, (because he was not authorized to speak) said he was in the office when he was informed that there was a fire outbreak.

According to one of the court registrars who also spoke on condition of anonymity, “The fire started from one of the air-conditioning unit in the CJ’s chamber. But, before anyone could get to know about it, it has gone out of control. I quickly informed my colleagues in the office and we ran down the stairs to our vehicles which we drove out of the premises,” he said.

BREAKING: 11 schoolgirls die in dormitory fire.

Posted on November 30, 2016 by Staff Reporter

Eleven schoolgirls have died and at least 22 others were injured in a fire that swept through a school dormitory in southern Turkey, officials say.

A woman who worked at the dormitory also died in the fire in the town of Aladag, in Adana province.

The dormitory housed girls of secondary school age from impoverished families in nearby villages, reports said.

An initial investigation suggests the blaze may have been caused by an electrical fault.

The local mayor said it was likely that the door to the fire escape was locked. A government minister who visited the scene said it was an allegation that would be investigated.

Mahmut Demirtas, the governor of Adana, said some students were injured when they jumped from windows to escape the fire.

Mr Demirtas confirmed that 11 of the dead were students.

TV footage showed flames leaping from the roof of the building as firefighters battled to put it out.

Deputy Prime Minister Veysi Kaynak and Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu were travelling to the scene, Anadolu news agency reported.

Image copyright AFP Image caption Some girls jumped from windows to escape the fire

2 men burnt to death for stealing motorcycle in Imo State.

Posted on November 29, 2016 by Staff Reporter

In another case of jungle justice two young have been set ablaze for allegedly stealing a brand new motorcycle from a commercial motorcyclist.

According to The Punch, the incident happened on Monday in Umuguma in the Owerri West local Government area of Imo.

An eyewitness said the deceased who were in their mid twenties had successfully snatched a brand new motorcycle from a commercial motorcyclist at the ever busy World Bank roundabout, near Owerri, the Imo capital when they were intercepted.

Before the arrival of security operatives, other commercial motorcyclists set them ablaze.

The Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Andrew Enwerem, DSP, said his office was yet to be briefed about the incident.

YABATECH re-opens Wednesday after fire incident

Posted on November 29, 2016 by Staff Reporter

Academic activities will resume at the Yaba College of Technology (YABATECH) on Wednesday, after a fire incident affected one of the institution’s hostel, Bakassi Hall.

The resumption was confirmed by Dr. Charles Obi, who is the Director of Public Relations Unit of the school.

He also told News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), that second semester examinations will begin on the same date.

Oni said: “Academic activities will resume on Tuesday, Nov. 29, while examination continues on Wednesday.

“As at Friday, when the representative of the Minister of Education, Mallam Adamu Adamu, visited the college, only two students were still on admission at the Military Hospital, Yaba.

“The college did not completely close; normal work is going except the academic activities that were suspended.’’

At least 38 inmates in Ethiopia charged with causing a deadly prison fire.

Posted on November 24, 2016 by Staff Reporter

At least 38 inmates have been charged in an Ethiopian court with causing a fire that led to the death of dozens of fellow prisoners in September.

Authorities say more than 20 inmates died when fire broke out at the Kilinto prison, on the outskirts of the capital Addis Ababa, which at the time was holding hundreds of anti-government protesters and some prominent opposition figures.

Details of what exactly caused the fire at the prison in early September remain scarce and the charges against the prisoners contradict earlier accounts by the authorities.

At the time, the government said 23 inmates had died of suffocation.

The charge sheet says the dead prisoners were beaten before being burnt to death.

The 38 have further been charged with incitement and trying to recruit other prisoners to join banned groups, including the Somali Islamist militant group al-Shabab.

Opposition figures and rights groups have constantly disputed the account given by the authorities and say some of the dead bodies had bullet wounds.

The Ethiopian government declared a six-month state of emergency last month to deal with nearly a year of anti-government protests from two of the country’s biggest ethnic communities.

Generator sparks fire outbreak in Yabatech, female hostel razed.

Posted on November 23, 2016 by Staff Reporter

A fire outbreak caused by a generator has razed the first floor of Bakassi Hostel at Yaba College of Technology, Lagos.

We learned that the incident took place in the early hours of Wednesday.

Fire razes hostel in Yabatech, Lagos | TheCable Lifestyle

A student of the institution who was affected by the fire outbreak said: There was no light when we woke up in the morning and we normally put on the generator by 5am to prepare for classes.”

“A girl whose room was closest to where the generator is located noticed a spark but initially ignored it,” the student said.

A second spark was what resulted in the fire which razed the entire first floor of the female hostel.

The student further noted that many undergraduates unsuccessfully attempted to put out the fire using a fire extinguisher.

Hence, they frantically called the fire service who arrived long after the fire had covered the first floor of the hostel.

“Fire department came later but because there was no water in the school and they also had no water, so they couldn’t do anything,” the student added.

It took over an hour for the fire service to find water to salvage what was left of the first floor.

The student further noted that Yabatech has been suffering from water scarcity for the past month.

When TheCable Lifestyle visited the institution, the fire had subsided but hadn’t been totally put out.

Students were noticeably in a state of despair over their lost properties and academic materials.

“People trying to help out had to go to another hostel, fetch water in buckets and climb four flights of stairs to get to the fire.”

“I literally sat and watched my hostel burn,” the student added.

Officials of the fire service are currently putting out the remaining fire.

Fire outbreak at Lagos airport disrupts operations.

Posted on October 28, 2016 by Staff Reporter

Flight operations at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos were yesterday halted when fire broke out in the terminal.

The fire incident, due to electrical faults, engulfed the Avio Bridge E-54 wing, causing panic among the passengers and workers.

Firefighters of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) promptly responded to put off the fire before it caused major damage at Nigeria’s busiest airport.

The outbreak disrupted flights in and out of the airport for close to an hour, with spiral effects still felt till the evening.

General Manager, FAAN Corporate Affairs Department, Mrs. Henrietta Yakubu, said the fire was caused by a spark at the Finger Main Distribution Board, E-Finger of the Airport.

Yakubu said electricity had been restored in the terminal shortly after the outbreak was extinguished, with engineers successfully correcting all defaults to restore normalcy in affected areas.

“While assuring airport users of safety and security at the airports, FAAN wishes to apologise to passengers, airlines and the general public for the inconvenience caused by this interruption,” she said.

One ground sources, however, said that the outbreak might not be unconnected with the recent expansion of the terminal and alleged use of inferior cables by the contractor.

Last month, the D-wing Departure of the international airport was engulfed by fire.

Four days later, another fire broke out, which affected the Skye Bank office at the airport and other tenants at the terminal.

Stop using the Galaxy Note 7, Samsung alerts users.

Posted on October 11, 2016 by Staff Reporter

Samsung has halted the production of its Galaxy Note 7 smartphones and advised customers all over the world to stop using the phone.

The company had failed to correct a problem that was causing the devices to burst into flames.

The tech firm had tried to switch the batteries suppliers and updating the device software.

But the replacements had also caught fire after they were issued.

Samsung on Tuesday said it is taken the phone off the market, promising customers they would be able to exchange the phone for other devices.

Samsung In Hot Water After Galaxy Note 7 Catches Fire On Plane

Posted on October 6, 2016 by Staff Reporter

A US flight was evacuated prior to takeoff when a passenger’s Galaxy Note 7 — reportedly a replacement in Samsung’s global recall — caught fire, landing the company in new controversy.

Samsung has been struggling with a recall of 2.5 million Galaxy Note 7 handsets due to complaints of exploding batteries, a problem the replacement phones are supposed to fix.

But on Wednesday, a Southwest Airlines flight leaving Louisville, Kentucky was evacuated after a passenger’s new Samsung phone began emitting smoke.

Brian Green, the owner, told tech news website The Verge that the phone was a replacement, which he picked up on September 21. He also provided a picture of its box, which has a black square symbol indicating that it was a replacement. Some 60 percent of US consumers had swapped their devices for replacements by the end of last month.

The Verge reported Green had powered down the phone for takeoff, an account The New York Times confirmed through other eyewitnesses.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/10/samsung-hot-water-new-phone-catches-fire-plane/

Shell: Fire Forced Closure Of Bonny Pipeline

Posted on September 28, 2016 by Staff Reporter

Shell has said fire has forced it to close a key oil pipeline feeding Nigeria’s strategic Bonny Export Terminal, which militants attacked last week.

The ongoing challenges, according to Associated Press (AP) are losing oil multinationals billions of dollars in what used to be Africa’s biggest petroleum producer.

SBM Intelligence risk analysts estimate that renewed militant attacks, low oil prices and weak refinery margins have cost Dutch-British Shell and United States-based Chevron and ExxonMobil $7.1 billion in the first half of the year, representing about 70 per cent of earnings.

Shell spokesman, Precious Okolobo, said the Trans Niger Pipeline was shut down Monday to investigate a fire.
Shell has refused to comment on reports that militants bombed its Bonny crude pipeline Friday, crippling exports days after they resumed following months of repairs from a May bomb attack.

Credit: thisdaylive

Hoodlums set Chidi Lloyd’s house ablaze in Rivers State

Posted on September 22, 2016 by Staff Reporter

Hoodlums on Wednesday night burnt down the house of a former lawmaker, Dr. Chidi Lloyd, in Akpabu community, Emohua Local Government Area of Rivers State.

It was learned that the development had caused panic in the community, as the incident was said to have happened less than 24 hours before an Appeal Court upheld the election of Sam Ogeh, the former lawmaker’s opponent in the March 19, 2016 State House of Assembly rerun election.

While Lloyd, who was the former Leader of the State House of Assembly contested on the platform of the All Progressives Alliance, Ogeh vied for the election on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party.

It was learnt that the hoodlums, who wore military camouflage, invaded Lloyd’s home at 8pm and set ablaze some aspects of his building.

A community source, Mr. Chijioke (surname withheld), disclosed that the arsonists invaded the community and caused anxiety with heavy gunfire.

Chijioke noted that the security quarters and the visitors’ lodge were burnt by the hoodlums, whose identity are yet unknown.

He said that property worth millions of naira at the guest house and in the security building were burnt.

The source further said it was the swift intervention of security operatives in the area that prevented the arsonists from attacking the main building.

The source said, “The building of former leader of Rivers State House of Assembly, Chidi Lloyd, has been burnt by unknown persons. The security room and the boys’ quarters were burnt. They did not touch the main building.”

Meanwhile, Lloyd has confirmed the attack on his house. He said that a group of men in military camouflage invaded his house and set it ablaze.

He explained that he had earlier received a threat message by a person suspected to be a cult member before the arson.

Speaking on the matter, the Commissioner of Police, Mr. Francis Odesanya, said the incident was caused by fire, adding that the main building was not burnt.

Samsung Phone Fire Not Caused By Battery- Supplier

Posted on September 19, 2016 by Staff Reporter

A supplier to Samsung Electronics Co Ltd (005930.KS) said on Monday that its battery does not appear to have caused a Galaxy Note 7 smartphone to ignite in China, after Chinese media reported one of the handsets caught fire.

The incident comes amid a recall of the Note 7 phones across the globe including South Korea and the United States due to faulty batteries causing the devices to catch fire while charging or in normal use. Samsung has said it has sold 2.5 million phones equipped with the suspect batteries.

Late on Sunday, Chinese online financial magazine Caixin cited an internet user’s report that their Note 7 phone, bought from JD.com Inc (JD.O), had caught fire in what appeared to be the first report in China of a fire involving the handset.

Amperex Technology Limited (ATL) said it conducted a joint investigation with Samsung on the phone in question and determined the incident was not directly linked to a battery made by the China-based firm.

“According to the burn marks on the sample, we surmise that the source of the heating comes from outside the battery, and it’s very likely that there was an external factor causing the heating problem,” the battery maker said in a statement.

An ATL official confirmed to Reuters one of its batteries was in the Note 7 phone that reportedly caught fire and that the heating problem was caused by something other than the battery.

A person familiar with the matter told Reuters the phone was damaged by an external heat source, possibly an induction oven or a fan heater. The person was not authorized to speak publicly on the matter and so declined to be identified.

Fire guts police barracks in Lagos, renders many homeless

Posted on September 16, 2016 by Staff Reporter

A fire on Friday razed a police barracks in Nigeria’s largest city and commercial hub, injuring one person and once again exposing the abysmal living conditions in the megalopolis of 20 million.

“It took the fire service more than one hour before they responded to our distress call,” Inspector Mike, a resident of the Ijeh police barrack told AFP.

“By the time they came, the fire has reduced everything into a rubble. That’s why we drove the fire fighters away,” he said.

“You can see that all the 24 flats have been completely burnt. We could not salvage anything,” Martina Undie, another resident said.

Undie said a man who was sleeping at the time of the incident “got some serious burns on his body” and was in hospital.

Charred household items including stoves, fridges, and television sets littered the area.

Accommodation is just one of the many problems dogging police in Nigeria. Many public service workers have not been paid on time due to a crash in oil prices.

The oil-producing country slipped into recession last month with inflation hitting a double-digit high of 17.1 percent at the end of July.

Pipeline fire erupts in Delta community

Posted on September 16, 2016 by Staff Reporter

Barely three months after a pipeline caught fire in Idheze community, a similar incident has been recorded in Oleh, another Isoko settlement.

Oleh is the headquarters of Isoko South Local Council of Delta State.

The President-General of Oleh Community, Chief James Obeuwou, told newsmen that the facility belongs to the Agip (Eni-NAOC) group, disclosing that a reasonable quantity of crops were lost to the incident.

He said the fire broke out about 1:00 a.m. yesterday, noting that: “A glow lit the sky as if a volcano was erupting in a distance. There was a sound like high-pressured water fall almost like a siren. People living around the area started running for their lives because it was frightening. It was like the world was coming to an end. We have not witnessed anything like this in the community.”

Obeuwou alleged that representatives of the oil company, after entering a mutual agreement with the host community to cordon off the area, later connived with security agents to continue operations.

The council chairman, Sir Ithiako Constantine Ikpokpo, while confirming the inferno, said: The council secretary and Divisional Police Officer (DPO) called me at about 1.30 a.m. that a pipeline had erupted.”

He called on the people to be calm, just as he advised the management of Agip to put its equipment in good shape.

One Injured In Fire At Dutch Refugee Centre

Posted on September 14, 2016 by Staff Reporter

A fire has been ignited at a camp sheltering refugees in the Netherlands, injuring at least one person.

The incident happened in the village of Luttelgeest, in the province of Flevoland, in the early hours of Wednesday.

The blaze was contained within half an hour.

The cause of the fire has not yet been determined, but it may have been a deliberate incident, as anti-refugee sentiments exist in some of the European countries — including the Netherlands — where thousands of irregular asylum seekers have been settled.

In January, a group of Dutch people rallied against government plans to open a refugee centre for 500 people in Heesch.

Suspected arson attacks have been previously reported at refugee camps in Germany, too.

The Luttelgeest refugee centre was established in 1987 and can accommodate up to 1,000 people.

Europe has been facing an unprecedented influx of refugees, most of whom are fleeing conflict zones in North Africa and the Middle East, particularly Syria. Last year alone, well over a million refugees made their way into the continent.

Many blame major European powers for the exodus of the refugees from their home countries as the conflicts and violence that force them out are usually a result of Western policies.

Credit: presstv

Qatar Airways Makes Emergency Landing As Engine Bursts Into Flames Midair

Posted on August 18, 2016 by Staff Reporter

A PLANE was forced to make an emergency landing after one of its engines burst into flames mid-air.

The Qatari Airways aircraft had been en route to Doha from Istanbul when it experienced problems. Initial reports suggest the flight QR240 caught fire during take-off on Thursday just after midday, local time. The Airbus 300 was forced to make an emergency landing, returning to Istanbul’s Ataturk Airport, in Turkey.

Reports claim there was a explosion as the plane was taking off, forcing the pilot to quickly return to the airport. Video shot from the ground shows sparks flying from the left engine. Damage has been reported to the blades of the engine.

A statement from the Gulf carrier said: “Today’s QR240 from Istanbul Ataturk Airport to Doha has returned to Istanbul and has landed safely.

“The passengers have disembarked as normal. The pilot followed all QR safety procedures.”

But an airport official has countered local media reports of a fire, and claimed the plane’s landing gear failed to retract after take-off.

They could not confirm whether a fire had broken out despite smoke spotted on footage.

Plateau Crisis: Soldiers Open Fire, One Killed

Posted on July 21, 2016 by Staff Reporter

Soldiers serving with the Special Task Force on Jos crisis on Thursday opened fire on rampaging youth who blocked a road in Bokkos Local Government Area, in protest of the killing of a monarch and a night attack there Wednesday.

At least one person was killed and five others injured, witnesses said.

A witness, Mangai Haruna, said the youth refused to allow soldiers into the area, pressing them instead to produce the killers of their kinsmen.

“They shot on our people, one of them died instantly,” Mr. Haruna said.

Residents say there is tension in Bokkos town, as many have fled the area to seek refuge elsewhere. The weekly Thursday market in the town could not open due to the crisis.

A spokesperson for the STF could not be immediately reached.

Plateau State has enjoyed relative calm in recent times after years of ethno-religious conflict that claimed the lives of thousands.

The latest spell of violence began on Monday afternoon when unknown gunmen ambushed and killed Lazarus Agaei, a first class traditional ruler and the Saf Ron Kurele, alongside his wife, son and a police guard.

On Wednesday night, unknown assailants reportedly destroyed homes and attacked residents of the area.

In protest, youth barricaded roads leading to the area on Thursday morning, and blocked the convoy of the police commissioner of Plateau State, Adekunle Oladunjoye. Mr. Oladunjoye was later allowed in.

Meanwhile, the Deputy Inspector General of Police in charge of operations, Habila Joshak, is currently in Bokkos.

Mr. Joshak was deployed from Abuja to ensure the arrest of the killers of the monarch.

At Bokkos council police station where the youth gathered, Mr. Joshak sued for peace, and assured that perpetrators of the crime would be arrested and prosecuted.

He also visited the palace of the late paramount ruler where he pleaded for calm.

Credit/ Photo: PremiumTimes

Family Dog Leads Firefighters To Trapped Children In Their Burning Home

Posted on April 28, 2016 by Staff Reporter

Neighbours of an Orlando, Florida deputy saw flames and realized that her house was on fire at about 11pm on Monday, they quickly called 911 and rushed to help her, her husband, their two children. One of the neighbors, Mr Dover, was able to break through all the front windows of the home and rescue the Seminole County sheriff’s deputy.

Fortunately, Firefighters responded to the fire around 11:20 p.m. and were able to pull her husband
from the home but because of the thickness of the smoke, they couldn’t find the couple’s 4 year old son and 2 year old daughter who were still trapped in the house.

Fortunately, the family dog, a German Shepherd named Maxx, was able to lead the Firefighters to both children and they were rescued as well.

“The little boy was not breathing when they brought him out. They put a mask on him, he came to,” said Dover.

“We ran over next door to see where the sound came from and you could see the flames coming out,” neighbor Chip Dover said.

“We were banging on the windows,”. “I pulled on the front door enough to pull the latch right off of it. Nothing happened.”

His son joined him and the two threw a chair through a window and kept breaking windows.

6px; margin-bottom: 20px; padding: 0px;”> Their hands blackened by smoke and soot, Dover and his son were finally able to locate the wife.

“We didn’t hear anything anymore, so then we went to the next window, smashed that one out and I pulled (the trapped woman) out of that window,” Dover said.

Seminole County Sheriff’s Office Chief Deputy Dennis Lemma said once she was out of the house, the deputy, tried to go right back in to rescue her children.

“Her primary concern was to get back in there and to rescue her children,” he said. “She’s an absolute trooper. She’s a hero within our organization and her actions tonight demonstrate that behavior.

“We’re very proud of her.”

Emergency personnel at the scene were able to restrain the deputy while firefighters rescued her children.

He commended Dover for his actions, saying it was “a really heroic act on the part of the neighbor.”

All four members of the family are hospitalized and listed in critical, but stable, condition. The dog is being treated for smoke inhalation and is expected to make a full recovery.

Source: ABC News 9

Lagos Landlady Sets Tenant’s Apartment On Fire To Eject Him

Posted on April 13, 2016 by Staff Reporter

A landlady, Mrs Nike Azeez shocked the residents of Ijegun community in Lagos State western Nigeria, on Tuesday morning after she carried some petrol and set her tenant’s apartment ablaze, destroying properties inside the apartment.

It took the intervention of the residents to quench the fire from spreading to other apartments and the entire building.

P.M.NEWS gathered that the woman did so in order to forcefully eject the tenant who she had a disagreement with.

The incident happened at about 9:00 am on Tuesday at number 8 Two brothers street in Ijegun where
the landlady lives with the tenant.

According to residents, Mrs Nike Azeez reportedly brought some petrol and broke into Adeleke Shakiru’s room and parlour apartment through his window.

She reportedly spread the petrol on a foam and other properties in the house and lit matches to set the place ablaze.

Luckily, a 2-year old boy, Adam, who was sleeping inside the room was rescued but was badly injured, while all the properties inside the room was destroyed by the fire.

After the dastard act, she fled and her husband Jamin Azeez and members of the family fled too due to the fear of her action.

According to the victim, Shakiru, he rented the apartment two years ago and was using a small generator like any other tenant living at the building.

He said one morning, Nike’s husband, Jamiu Azeez told him to stop using the generator which he kept outside the premises.

Shakiru then quizzed Jamiu, asking him why he should stop using his generator, while he was engaging Jamiu, Nike intervened and said whatever the landlord directed must complied with or that he moves out of the house.

He said he ignored them and powered his generator to charge his phones.
He said from there, Nike started making trouble and threatening his family.

He said at a time she used a digger to remove his doors and windows which was reported to the police at Ishero Oshun division.

He said through the intervention of the elders in the area, he withdrew the matter and replaced what she damaged.

On the day the incident happened, he said he was at his place of work when his wife called and informed him that Nike has set their apartment ablaze.

He said when he rushed home, everything was destroyed.

Shakiru’s wife, Bosah, then told our reporter that her husband went to work and Nike came out and was dragging her son, Adam, insisting that she would throw him into the water well.

She said it took the intervention of the neighbours who forcefully prevented her from doing so.

She said while she was still outside with other neighbours, Nike went into her apartment, carried some petrol and went through the back window to burn the house.

She said that it was one of the neigbours who attempted to prevent her that raised alarm. She said the neighbour then rushed inside their room to carry her son.

A team of police officers from Isheri Oshun have visited the place for report and investigation.

P.M.NEWS gathered the both the Nike, Jamiu and their children fled after discovering the gravity of the offence.

Source: PM News

Petrol Scarcity: Fire Claims 7 Lives in Akwa Ibom

Posted on April 8, 2016 by Staff Reporter

It was a black Friday in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State capital, as seven persons lost their lives in a fire incident said to have been caused by poor storage of fuel.

The inferno, which occurred about 2am at No 33 Ntia street off Ekpri Nsukara within the Uyo metropolis, claimed the lives of a woman and three of her children as well as three grandchildren of the landlady of the compound.

Luck was, however, on the side of the landlady, Madam Monica Effiong, and another occupant of the compound, Emmanuel, who were rescued and taken to the hospital.

An eye witness, Mr Ekemini Obot, who is the grandson to the landlady, Madam Monica Effiong, said his wife noticed the fire in the next compound went going out to urinate and raised alarm which attracted neigbours for rescue.

However, luck was not at the side of the victims in the fire incidence as the fire had consumed them before the needed help could come.

Mr. Obot said his grandmother and another occupant in the compound were rescued and rushed to the University of Uyo Teaching hospital for medical attention.

Credit: Thisday

NEMA Confirms 1 Death In UNILAG Guest House Fire

Posted on March 3, 2016 by Staff Reporter

One person has been confirmed dead in a fire outbreak that gutted a section of the University of Lagos Guest House in the early hours of Thursday in Lagos.

The victim, said to be a guest who came for the ongoing 2014/2015 convocation of the institution, was said to have died of suffocation.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) gathered that the fire started around 2.00 a.m.

The victim, who accompanied a prominent traditional ruler to the convocation, was said to be lodging in room A12, where he suffocated to death due to impact of the fire.

The spokesman for the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Mr Ibrahim Farinloye, confirmed the incident in a text message sent to the NAN.

Farinloye quoted the Zonal Coordinator of NEMA for Lagos, Ogun and Oyo states, Alhaji Suleiman Yakubu, as saying that four rooms – A12, A13, A14 and A15 – were affected by the fire.

“The deceased will be flown to Maiduguri for burial today,’’ the text message read in part.

Effort to speak with officials of the university, about the incident yielded no result as everyone claimed to be busy with the convocation events and could not talk to the press.

Credit: NAN

Fire Razes Over 200 Shops In Kano Commodity Market

Posted on February 18, 2016 by Staff Reporter

A fire outbreak at the wee hours of Thursday gutted the popular singer market in Kano, destroying no fewer than 200 shops.

The State director of the fire service,Alhaji Balarabe Kabara confirmed that the fire outbreak was recorded around 6:00am and unspecified number of shops had been affected.

Kabara said “We are yet to ascertain the actual number of shops destroyed as we are still battling to put out the inferno.” The fire service chief added “We cannot give you the number of shops affected but the fire had destroyed many shops”.

However, an eyewitness who identified himself as Aminu Inuwa said the fire started around 4:15 am, and a particular structutre containing over 200 shops were completely affected. Aminu said that the fire had also razed a number of ware houses of food stuff and essential commodities located within the vicinity of market.

Credit : Vanguard

Fire Guts Jos Central Mosque

Posted on February 17, 2016 by Staff Reporter

Fire has gutted the female section of the Jos Central Mosque.

According to reports, large flames swallowed most parts of the entire Mosque. The flames and smoke also covered houses and shops in the vicinities.

Mr Emmanuel Abu, spokesman of the Plateau Police Command, described the fire as “very serious and unfortunate”.

He said that a vehicle parked beside the Mosque caught fire and it spread to the Mosque.

“For now, we can confirm that no one was caught in the fire, but we have despatched our men to the scene to protect property.

Once an incident like this happens, there are miscreants always taking that as an advantage to steal.

“We want to make sure that such did not happen,” he said.

(NAN)

Fire Guts NPC Headquarters In Abuja

Posted on February 11, 2016 by Staff Reporter

A mid-day fire outbreak, yesterday, gutted the headquarters of the National Population Commission (NPC), in Abuja.

The fire incident which was caused by a faulty air conditioner affected the training unit on the ground floor of the complex.

In a statement signed by Mr Simon Otene, director, public affairs, NPC, at the time of the fire outbreak, technical staff of the commission were undergoing in-house capacity building training.

He said some furniture items, office equipment and personal effects were lost in the fire incident.

Otene however commended the Fire Service Unit of the FCT for their quick intervention which brought the fire under control.

He said fortunately, there was no causality as all the staff were effectively evacuated from the building.

He added that the logistics and operational capacity of the commission to carry out its activities was not affected by the incident as it remains poised to pursue its constitutional mandate.

Credit: Leadership

Man Sets Himself On Fire Near Prince William, Kate’s Palace

Posted on February 9, 2016 by Staff Reporter

A man set himself on fire in the early hours of Tuesday outside Kensington Palace, the central London home of Prince William and his wife Kate, and later died of his injuries, British police said.

Two fire extinguishers could be seen next to a police tent set up at the scene of the incident near the large windows of the palace’s Orangery.

Two people in white forensic suits put a green petrol canister in a transparent evidence bag under a tree nearby, an AFP photographer saw.

There was a strong smell of petrol at the scene, which was cordoned off to tourists.

“This incident is not being treated as terrorist-related,” the police said in a statement.

Officers were called to an area near the locked parks of the palace at 3:06am (0306 GMT) “following reports of a man behaving suspiciously” the police said in a statement.

“Officers attended and found a man, believed to be aged in his forties, ablaze,” the statement said.

The man could not be saved and was declared dead half an hour after emergency services arrived on site.

Credit: Vanguard

NNPC Tanker Bursts Into Flames While Discharging Fuel In Abuja

Posted on January 13, 2016 by Staff Reporter

A petrol tanker belonging to Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) with 45,000 litres of petrol, caught fire on Tuesday while discharging the product at a filling station along Abdulsalami Abukakar Way, Apo, Abuja.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that there was no loss of life but the tanker was completely burnt down, while the filling station was partly affected.

Mr Jeremiah Abimaje, Branch Manager, NNPC Mega Station, said that the cause of the fire was unknown.

“No one can really say what actually caused the fire out-break; the tanker came with the product and was off-loading its product when it suddenly caught fire, “he said.

He said that prompt arrival of men of the Fire Service prevented the fire from engulfing the filling station and other properties in the neighborhood.

An eye witness, Mr Monday Osadolor, said that men of the fire service were able to contain the fire because the station was not selling fuel when the incident occurred.

“If it was a normal day when there are many cars around this road, many people would have lost their lives,” he said.

Mr Jaji Abdulganiyu, Operations Commander, Federal Fire Service,who led his men to the scene, said the service was committed to put fire out-breaks under control in the FCT.

“Our officers will always respond promptly whenever they are called upon for emergency situations like this,” he said.

He, however, advised Nigerians that necessary precautionary measures should be put in place at all times to prevent both domestic and industry fire disasters.

(NAN)

Fire Razes Yola Market

Posted on January 4, 2016 by Staff Reporter

Fire has razed a major market in Yola, the capital of Adamawa State, Nigeria’s north-east region.

The fire, which started between 3am to 4am, was suspected to be from an electrical fault. Situated at the heart of Yola Town, a twin city that makes up the Adamawa State capital, and a few meters from the Emirs palace.

Efforts by the State Fire Service and that of the AUN Fire Department could not save the situation as about 95% of the market had been razed down.

The incidence is sure to affect food supply in the state capital because it is a major market for grains such as rice, maize, beans, guinea corn and other food items.

Credit: ChannelsTv

Fire Razes Dubai Skyscraper Hotel, Site Of 2016 New Year Celebrations

Posted on December 31, 2015 by Staff Reporter

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A huge fire ripped through a luxury Dubai hotel Thursday night as people gathered to watch New Year’s Eve celebrations, injuring at least 16 people, authorities said.

Dubai’s government media office tweeted that a “fire has been reported in the Address Downtown hotel. Authorities are currently on-site to address the incident swiftly and safely”.

The cause of the blaze was not immediately known.

The 63-storey building, which is close to Burj Khalifa, the world’s tallest tower, was engulfed in flames across several floors as sirens wailed and helicopters hovered overhead, witnesses said.

Dubai’s police chief said all the hotel’s residents had been evacuated from the scene of the blaze, which had still not been extinguished some two hours after it broke out.

“All the residents are out,” General Khamis Matar al-Mzeima said.

“Until the fire is put out, we will not have information on what caused it,” he added.

“At least 14 people have been slightly injured, along with one medium injury, and a heart attack case registered due to people pushing” amid the smoke, the media office tweeted.

Witness Raphael Slama told AFP the fire started at around 9:30 pm (1730 GMT) and rapidly spread upwards across dozens of floors.

The government tweeted that the fire erupted on the 20th floor and affected only the outer facade of the building.

“Four firefighting teams have been deployed” to fight the blaze, it added.

Authorities said earlier Thursday that they had deployed thousands of security personnel to ensure visitors and residents could enjoy the New Year’s festivities safely.

Credit: Vanguard

Oyo Govt To Probe Ibadan Plank Market Fire

Posted on December 29, 2015 by Staff Reporter

The Oyo State Government has said that it will investigate the circumstances surrounding the fire incidents that engulfed the Sango Alaro plank market twice in three days, which resulted in losses estimated at several millions of naira.

Governor Abiola Ajimobi made this known when he paid a visit to the market which got burnt first on Christmas day, while another part was also razed in the early hours of yesterday.

The governor was represented by the Special Adviser on Communication and Strategy, Mr. Yomi Layinka; the Head of Service, Mr. Soji Eniade; a former Secretary to the State Government, Mr. Ismail Olalekan-Alli; a former Special Adviser on Political Matters, Dr. Gbade Ojo; and a former Special Adviser on Security, Mr. Segun Abolarinwa, among others.

Addressing newsmen after the delegation had inspected the burnt sections of the market, Layinka expressed concern that the market could record two fire incidences within three days.

Describing Ajimobi as peace-loving, the Governor’s spokesman said it cherished peace and anything that would make life more comfortable for the people of the state, adding; “This is a state where everybody has the right to live and trade within the limit of the Constitution.”

The government delegation appealed to the people, particularly the traders and members of the affected community to remain calm and shun any untoward act.

Credit : Vanguard

Fire Guts Memorial Hospital Quarters In PH

Posted on December 29, 2015 by Staff Reporter

The management and staff of Braithwaite Memorial Hospital in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital have expressed concern over the fire incident that occurred at the doctors quarters on Monday.

The fire which started at about 3pm damaged the top floor of the 2-storey building.

Although the cause of the fire outbreak remains unknown, the State Governor, Nyesom Wike, has assured the management of the hospital of the state government’s intention to rebuild the affected quarters.

A panel of inquiry has also been set up by the Ministry of Health to ascertain the cause of the incident. Eyewitnesses said that no life was lost in the inferno but property worth thousands of naira were destroyed.

Credit: ChannelsTV

NSCDC Counsels Residents On Safety Measures During Harmattan

Posted on November 5, 2015 by Staff Reporter

The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) on Thursday advised residents of Jigawa not to keep petrol and other inflammables at home to prevent fire outbreak as the harmattan approaches.

The NSCDC Commandant in the state, Malam Muhammad Gidado, told reporters in Dutse that the advice was necessary because fire outbreaks were common during the harmattan.

“The harmattan is fast approaching, and so, it is important for people to be more careful at this time to curb the persistent fire outbreaks which commonly occur during this season.

“Residents should always be careful while handling inflammable materials.

“People can be careless when keeping inflammable materials in their houses, which can later lead to fire outbreaks, if not properly managed,’’Gidado said.

He said the corps would continue to sensitise and inform the public on safety measures in residential and business environments to prevent fire outbreaks.

The commandant advised residents to observe the safety measures in their respective communities throughout the season and beyond.

(NAN)

NEWS ALERT: Fire Razes Abuja Grand Square Shopping Mall (PHOTOS)

Posted on October 23, 2015 by Staff Reporter

Popular Abuja shopping mall, Grand Square, is currently under fire.

The mall, which is located in Central Area in Abuja caught fire around 11pm. Security men guarding the mall speaking to our correspondent said that they first noticed the fire coming from the electronics section.

Shop owners who were alerted went to the mall but were not allowed access into the mall because police men and other security operatives denied them entry to the mall.

So far, two fire service trucks are sighted at the mall trying to quench off the fire outbreak and NEMA rescue operatives are also at the burning mall.

See photos below:

Fire Razes Onitsha Electronics Market

Posted on October 14, 2015 by Staff Reporter

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Barely five days after a mysterious fire ravaged Onitsha Car Paints market, another fire yesterday razed down the Onitsha International Electronics Market, Anambra State.

No life was lost but three security men sustained injures while goods worth about N60 million were destroyed by the inferno which started at about 3am.

Reports gathered that mostly affected was the double musical equipment shop (Amson Electronics) where over N35 million worth of wares were destroyed by fire.

The cause of the fire, which has not been ascertained, started from one of the lock-up shops, according to an eyewitness and one of the vigilante in the market who said he immediately alerted his commander when the fire started.

Read More: sunnewsonline

Nigerian Troops, Militants Exchange Fire In Kogi

Posted on October 13, 2015 by Staff Reporter

Reports from Okene town in Kogi state say troops of the Nigerian Army are currently engaging some unknown gunmen.

An Islamic cleric in the town told newsmen that the gunmen were “terrorists”.

He said residents remained indoors as the clash continued.

“We are presently in our houses, no any movement at all! Gun shooting everywhere!” the cleric said.

Read More: premiumtimesng

Fire Razes Saraki’s House In Abuja

Posted on August 28, 2015 by Staff Reporter

A fire has reportedly engulfed the Abuja residence of Senate President Bukola Saraki.

The source of the fire is unknown and it is not yet clear if Mr Saraki and his family were in the building. Fire fighters are currently battling to put out the fire.

Credit: dailytimes

Why I Resigned- Custom Boss

Posted on August 18, 2015 by Staff Reporter

The Comptroller-General of the Nigerian Customs Service, Dikko Abdullahi, who is leaving his post on Tuesday, August 18, says he is leaving behind a transparent system and that he has nothing to fear.

Mr. Abdullahi said he was voluntarily leaving office, partly to avoid being fired by President Muhammadu Buhari, and also to allow the younger generation take over.

“The time I’m leaving is the time I feel those young ones that have developed the software can come up and manage the software,” he told journalists Monday after meeting the president.

“So that is basically the reason and I’m sending out this signal to all those who have stayed put.

“Don’t stay until you are asked you to go. When you feel you have done so much and you believe in the system you have built, then why do you stay? Why don’t you be an umpire? Leave, be by the side and watch and advise,” he said.

Read More: premiumtimesng

Fire guts Christ embassy church in Lagos

Posted on August 13, 2015 by Staff Reporter

Fire has razed a section of the Christ Embassy Church, Oregun, Ikeja, Lagos State, destroying property said to be worth millions of naira.

The fire, which reportedly lasted for about two hours on Wednesday, was said to have started at about 4am.

The fire, which was caused by burning a heap of refuse, later engulfed four 40-feet containers, reportedly being used as storage facilities by the church.

According to a resident, who claimed to be an eyewitness, the Wednesday fire, which created panic and later caused gridlock in the area, was put out by firefighters from the Alausa Fire Station, who were joined by some church workers.

“The fire started from some refuse being burnt near the containers. It soon engulfed the containers and lasted for about two hours. It attracted sympathisers and passersby to the area. The thick smoke also caused some traffic snarl along Billings Way, Oregun, where the church is located,” the eyewitness said.

The Director, Lagos State Fire Service, Rasaq Fadipe, confirmed the incident, adding that the service deployed two fire trucks from the Alausa station in the area. The director noted that no life was lost in the inferno.

He said, “We got the distress call at about 5am. We immediately deployed two fire trucks from the Alausa Station to attend to it. Four containers caught up in the fire contained electrical appliances, pumping machines and pieces of furniture.

“We were able to put the situation under control.”

It will be recalled that a fire incident also occurred in the church in March 2014, which razed generator houses, damaging about 10 generators.

Spoilt Son With 14 Cars Sets Fire On Ferrari To Upgrade To New Model

Posted on August 12, 2015 by Staff Reporter

In a bizarre case out of Europe, a 20-year-old Swiss man reportedly set fire to a Ferrari 458 Italia given to him by his father in a half-baked scheme to use the insurance money to upgrade to a new model. Incredibly, the spoilt brat is said to have had 14 other cars (including a Lamborghini) at his disposal in addition to a property portfolio worth close to $30 million and a monthly allowance that fluctuated between $5,000 and $10,000.

As Swiss publication 20 Minutes first reported, the 20-year-old in March of 2014 visited a dealership to get his car valued so that he could trade it in for a new model, possibly the 458 Speciale which went on sale about then. The quote he received was $193,500, which wasn’t enough to cover the cost of the new model.

Read More: MotorAuthority

Fire Razes Agip Oil Facility In Rivers

Posted on June 29, 2015 by Staff Reporter

The Agip oil company centre in Ebocha in Ogba Egbema Ndoni LGA in Rivers was yesterday gutted by fire.

According to a citizen reporter, Lukeson Oguchi, the fire started at about 11pm after a loud explosion. Fire fighters are still battling to put out at the fire as at the time of this report.

Credit: vanguardngr

Nollywood Actress Kate Henshaw’s Lekki Home Gutted By Fire (Photos)

Posted on June 26, 2015 by Staff Reporter

Nollywood top actress, Kate Henshaw’s Lekki Phase 1 residence went up in flames on Thursday, June 25, 2015.

According to a report by The Cable, the house caught fire at about 3PM on Thursday afternoon, which attracted a huge crowd to the residence as neighbours struggled to put out the fire.

Kate Henshaw consoled by her neighbours

Eyewitnesses report that the fire outbreak might have been caused by an electric surge.

The actress who escaped unhurt was however reported to have lost personal properties and valuable items to the fire.

Over 70 Killed In Ghana Petrol Station Fire

Posted on June 4, 2015 by Staff Reporter

More than 70 people were killed in a fire at a petrol station in Ghana’s capital, Accra, as they sought shelter from heavy rains that caused widespread flooding, the police and Red Cross said Thursday. “This loss of life is catastrophic and almost unprecedented,” a visibly shaken President John Dramani Mahama said as he toured the scene.

“A lot of people have lost their lives and I am lost for words.”

Communications minister Edward Omane Boamah described the situation as a “national emergency”. A senior police officer said that “the fire service alone has retrieved about 73 bodies,” while Red Cross disaster management coordinator Francis Obeng put the death toll at “more than 70?.

Local hospitals said morgues were full, with the death toll likely to rise, according to security officials. The fire broke out late on Wednesday night in the Kwame Nkrumah Circle area of central Accra and is thought to have spread from a nearby residence.

It was not immediately clear exactly how the victims died, with reports that some had drowned in flood waters caused by blocked roadside gutters and drains that overflowed because of the rains.

Mahama extended his condolences to the families of those who lost loved ones and said “precautionary measures” needed to be taken against flooding that hits the city every year.

At least two days of rains have caused chaos in Accra, leaving many suburbs submerged and people stranded. Already sketchy power supplies had been cut to some communities as electricity sub-stations were submerged.

Boamah said the armed forces, police, fire and the National Disaster Management Organisation have been deployed to help those affected. “The general public is kindly advised to avoid fast-moving rainwater and areas they know have big drains. Stay on higher ground, where necessary, to prevent loss of life,” he added.

Credit: vanguardngr

Rights Group Alleges Sabotage In Federal Secretariat Fire, Calls For Probing

Posted on May 15, 2015 by Staff Reporter

The Human Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has called for a probe into the fire outbreaks that razed the Federal Secretariat complex in Abuja. The pro-human rights organisation alleged sabotage.

“We find it shocking that a high profile housing assets like the Federal Secretariat Complex located within the precincts of the Three Arms zone adjacent the imposing State House Aso Rock in Abuja could be set ablaze and civil servants working in those premises are exposed to unmitigated risks to their lives,” HURIWA National Coordinator, Emmanuel Onwubiko, and the National Media affairs Director, Zainab Yusuf, jointly stated.

On Thursday, a section of the Federal Secretariat Complex in Abuja has been gutted by fire.

The fire, believed to have started at the section housing the Federal Ministry of Education, started from the sixth floor and extended to other floors of the expansive complex.

Fire-fighters were reported to have battled to control the fire from spreading to other parts of the complex.

“Sadly there are no functional fire fighting facilities located within the premises. This is an abomination,” HURIWA stated.

There were no casualties while the cause of the fire could not be ascertained at the time of publication.

Credit: CAJ News

BREAKING: Federal Secretariat On Fire

Posted on May 14, 2015 by Staff Reporter

The complex housing major government offices in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital, is on fire. The cause of the fire is unknown at this time, but thick smokes has engulfed the building and surrounding ones.

Workers in the building were seen scampering for safety while a good number of staff and visitors are trapped in the complex. Our correspondents say fire fighters have just arrived the scene.

Credit: premiumtimesng

Petrol Tanker Bursts Into Flames At Lagos Airport

Posted on April 23, 2015 by Staff Reporter

A tanker suspected to be carrying aviation fuel burst into flames while in motion at the domestic wing of the Murtala Muhammed Airport in Lagos State. The tanker, which belonged to a petroleum company, Heizol, was reportedly conveying diesel from Apapa to an unascertained location in Ogba, when it suddenly burst into flames in front of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) headquarters.

The fire was immediately put out before it spread by a combined team of the tanker driver, officials from the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, passers-by and Lagos State Traffic Management Agency officials.

Read More: Thisday

Fires Razes INEC Area Office

Posted on April 20, 2015 by Staff Reporter

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Area Office in Katsina-Ala, Benue was gutted by fire in the early hours of Sunday, April 19.

The office serves as the commission’s collation centre for the Benue North-East Senatorial District.

Louis Ochai, INEC Public Relations Officer in Benue, who confirmed the incident on Sunday in Makurdi, said the commission was yet to ascertain the cause of the incident.

He explained that no sensitive materials were destroyed, as all sensitive materials as well as card readers were removed immediately after the elections.

The April 19 incident brings to three, INEC office gutted by fire in the senatorial zone in the past three weeks.

Credit: NAN

Federal Mortgage Bank In Lagos Gutted By Fire, Official Documents Destroyed- Report

Posted on April 15, 2015 by Staff Reporter

The Mamman Kontagora House, Marina, Lagos which houses many businesses was on fire this morning. The multi-storied building houses lot of businesses in the central business district of Victoria Island.

According to available information, the raging inferno has already gutted 7 floors of the building. Fire Service men have just arrived to fight the inferno.

Eyewitness in Broad street suspect foul play, a source who doesn’t want his name in print who spoke to us said “It is strange that the fire affects the Mortgage building”. He doubts that it was a coincidence that the fire burnt almost all the official documents in the bank.

Mob Sets Emir’s Palace Ablaze In Gombe

Posted on April 13, 2015 by Staff Reporter

Report provides that a group of mob burnt down the palace of the Emir of Kashere Town in Gombe State.

Kashere is the home town of Danjuma Goje, a former governor of the state, who also recently won re-election as a Senator to represent Gombe central on the platform of the All Progressives Congress, APC.

A source in the town who declined to be named for security reasons said the palace was burnt down by irate mob who suspected that three ballot boxes were kept there. “Three ballot boxes have gone missing after the election and people suspect that they have been taken to the Emir’s Palace to be stuffed with thumb printed ballot papers,” the source said.

Details On: premiumtimesng

UPDATE: INEC Warehouse Fire Outbreak

Posted on March 16, 2015 by Staff Reporter

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has said that the fire that gutted some parts of its storage facilities in Abuja will not affect the upcoming general elections.

The Commissioner in charge of Electoral Operations and Logistics, Mohammed Hamanga, said that the affected materials, which were in the process of being destroyed, were obsolete, according to an update from Channels TV. The fire outbreak was as a result of a surge in electricity after three days of power cut, said the INEC official.

It was gathered that the fire which started at 11:00 PM was contained by 2:00AM due to the quick response of officials of INEC and the Federal Fire Service, who forced their way into the warehouse.

Read More: skytrendnews

Two Killed As Fire Razes Mile 12 Market

Posted on March 13, 2015 by Staff Reporter

An early morning fire incident on Friday gutted the Mile 12 Market in Lagos. Two bodies have been recovered by firemen who are still battling the inferno.

Details on: News24

Why Jonathan Fired Sure-P Boss

Posted on March 11, 2015 by Staff Reporter

The presidency did not give any reason for Mr. Martin-Luther Agwai’s removal, beyond saying it was “in furtherance of his efforts to continuously re-energize and reposition agencies of the Federal Government for optimal service delivery”.

But PREMIUM TIMES understands reliably that Mr. Agwai was fired for flouting a presidential instruction that no government official or member of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, should attend the birthday event of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, last week.

Mr. Jonathan and the former president have been locked in a longstanding row which has seen Mr. Obasanjo repeatedly criticise the president publicly.

The spat climaxed three weeks ago when Mr. Obasanjo quit the party and publicly tore his membership card.

Sources within the presidency told PREMIUM TIMES that all government functionaries were instructed by President Jonathan to boycott Mr. Obasanjo’s birthday event.

Our sources said when informed of the president’s warning, Mr. Agwai, who climbed to the pinnacle of his career under the Obasanjo administration, said he will go ahead and attend the function, more so, in view of the president’s directive.

Read More: newspunch

Mugabe Fires More Cabinet Ministers

Posted on December 23, 2014 by Staff Reporter

Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe has fired two cabinet ministers and five deputy ministers, the presidency announced late Sunday, in an apparent purge targeting allies of his former deputy Joice Mujuru. The move came after months of political upheaval in Zimbabwe over the succession to 90-year-old Mugabe when he dies or steps down.

Mugabe, who is currently holidaying in Asia, dismissed Flora Buka, minister of state for presidential affairs and Sylvester Nguni, minister of state in the office of the vice president, saying “their conduct and performance were below expected standards”, according to a presidency statement.

The two were seen as allies of former vice president Mujuru, who was dismissed two weeks ago along with seven cabinet ministers and a deputy minister.

Five deputy ministers — for health, justice, rural affairs, work and transport — were also dismissed on Sunday. Once seen as favourite to step into Mugabe’s shoes, Mujuru has since come under constant attack, notably from Mugabe’s increasingly powerful wife Grace.

Mujuru has been accused of plotting to assassinate the president, fomenting factional divisions in the ruling party, and of dodgy business dealings. Mujuru was replaced as vice president by Justice Minister Emmerson Mnangagwa, a long-time ally of Mugabe.

Credit: Yahoo News

Fire Engulfs Murtala Muhammed Airport

Posted on October 23, 2014 by Staff Reporter

Reports emerging says, a fire has broken out at theMurtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) in Lagos causing panic among occupants and travellers.

The incident occurred on the second floor of the airport terminal but the fire was extinguished before it could cause any major damage.

The fire started from the commercial department of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria(FAAN) due to a power surge.

However, the situation has been reportedly been brought under control and airport activities are returning to normal.