Responders Avert Fire Disaster at House of Reps

Udora Orizu in Abuja 

Fire Service Men on Thursday averted what would have been a massive damage to National Assembly complex, Abuja, following a fire outbreak at the storage room on the 2nd floor, room 227 in the new-wing House of Representatives.

The fire which started at about 6:30pm had witnesses running helter skelter seeking for ways to quench it.

When contacted on the telephone, the Director of Information, Rawlings Agada, confirmed the fire, blaming it on electrical faults.

He said clerk of the committee raised the alarm when he saw the smoke, and fire service men arrived on time to quench it.

He added that the combined prompt efforts, curtained the fire to the affected office only and power supply to the wing put off to enable a full assessment and investigations into the incident.

Issuing a statement shortly after, he said, “there was a fire incident this evening in one of the Janitors, located on the 2nd floor, Room 227 in the new-wing, of the House of Representatives, suspected to have resulted from an electrical fault which was noticed by one of the Staff to the Clerk, House of Representatives, who promptly alerted the Federal Fire Service Unit stationed in the National Assembly Complex.

Accordingly, the fire have be put out with assistance of staff on duty who immediately broke into the affected office and effectively deployed Stationed fire extinguishers on the floor before the arrival of the fire service officer.

“It is expected that, after due assessment by the fire service and the Estate and works directorates, Normalcy in the New-Wings, housing all principal officer’s of the House of Representatives and Honourable members office’s,will be restored immediately. Management wish to commend the prompt response/ actions by the first responders particularly, National Assembly staff and the Fire Service Unit in helping to curtain the fire outbreak.”