By Stanley Onyekwere
The FCT Emergency Management Department(FEMD) has reaffirmed the importance of access road into markets, for effective fire fighting operations.
The Ag Director General of FEMD, Mrs Florence Wenegieme stated at the old Karu Market, which was engulfed by fire yesterday evening.
A statement from Head, Public Affairs, Nkechi Isa, disclosed that a combined team of the FCT Fire Service, Federal Fire Service and Julius Berger Fire Service put off the fire outbreak at the old Karu market in the FCT.
It added that Wenegieme, who was at the scene where the fire started at about 6.30 pm, said the fire men who were activated on time were however, unable to gain access to the market .
“It was the illegal market/ settlement behind the new market under construction that was engulfed by fire.
“We had enough firetrucks and fire men, but we could not gain access to the market, so we had to break walls to have access for the fire fighting hose, that was what caused the delay in putting out the fire”, she stated.
She further stated that the cause of the fire was yet to be ascertained, adding that investigations were however on going .
According to her, no Life was lost to the fire incident, as only goods worth millions of naira were destroyed.
“The Nigeria Police, Nigeria Army and the Civil Defense Corps were also on ground to ensure crowd control.
“The Ag DG commended the Department of Engineering Services for activating Julius Berger Fire Service”, it added.
