David-Chyddy Eleke in Awka
Wild fire said to have emanated from a burning refuse bin close to Idemili South Local Government Area of Anambra State yesterday gutted offices in the secretariat complex.
A source told THISDAY that the fire razed several important documents of the local government council in a few offices before it was contained.
Anambra State Command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) confirmed the incident through its spokesperson, ASC Edwin Okadigbo.
He said: “The fire started at about 2.00 p.m. and preliminary investigation revealed that the fire started from a trash bin at a refuse dump site which was on fire, but the harmattan breeze extended the fire to the surrounding bushes and it went out of control.”
He added that NSCDC officers from Idemili South led by the Divisional Officer, Superintendent Ochie Paul, and some local government staff, who rushed to the scene, assisted in putting off the fire and stopping it from escalating to other surrounding buildings.
“No casualty was recorded. In view of the foregoing, the state Commandant of NSCDC, Comdt David Bille, has therefore urged the public to be at alert and refrain from putting on fire near or inside the trash bin to avoid this kind of incident.”
Yesterday’s incident was just one of series of fire incidents involving houses and petrol tankers since October last year.
