Fire Guts Chemical Factory, Destroys N100m Goods, Equipment

James Sowole in Akure

Fire gutted a chemical factory, Megadot Nigeria Limited located within Ondo State Fair Complex, Akure at the weekend, destroying goods and equipment worth about N100 million.

THISDAY checks revealed that the company was stocked with chemicals used for the production of paints, wood finishes, thinner lacquer and other chemical products.

It was gathered that the fire, which started around 10: 00 p.m. due to electric surge and destroyed all goods and equipments in the company

An eye witness, Mr. Kolawole Bello, explained that the high voltage supplied by the electricity company resulted in the inferno saying the timely response of fire service men saved the entire trade fair complex from burning

“We noticed the fire around 10pm and we called the attention of the owner of the factory and fire service men. The fire service men responded promptly but the fire had wrecked/some havoc, the chemical are powerful and the company had gone up in flames before they arrived at the scene.

“They managed to curtail the fire from spreading to other places but we thank God no casualty was recorded, but the odorous discharge that engulfed the atmosphere constrained breathing for people around this premises”, he said.

Speaking to journalists, the owner of the company, Mr. Bisi Ogungbemi, said he received a call from the factory and called the fire service men who promptly responded to the distress call.

“The damage had been done but the fire service men were able to curtail the fire from spreading to other areas. They came with two vans and had to reload again to put things under control.

Ogungbe said the company just received new order worth about N50m and which made him to stock the company, blaming the incident on the power surge and appealed for government aid.

“This is our only source of livelihood and we have about 20 able men working here with us. We want to appeal to the state government to look into our plight and help us.

“We do not want to send these men to unemployment market again. I am calling on the state governor, Mr. Rotimi Akeredolu, to help us financially.

“The Commissioner for Works, Mr. Taofeek Abdulsaalam and Chief of staff to the governor, Mr. Gbenga Ale had visited the scene of the incident and we hope they will help to table our plight before the governor”

Abdulsaalam, who visited the scene of the incident, said that preliminary investigation into the incident indicated that the fire outbreak was caused by power surge.